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Shay Nielsen

Casting Director, Shay Nielsen Casting

The casting director has worked in the fashion and entertainment industry for 20 years, building up an extensive client list that includes Gucci and Calvin Klein.

Biography

The casting director has worked in the fashion and entertainment industry for twenty years, building up an extensive client list that includes Gucci, Calvin Klein , Levi’s and Louis Vuitton.

Since launching her own agency in Los Angeles in 2013, Nielsen has steadily sourced talent for advertising campaigns such as Calvin Klein’s fall 2016 photo series, which features a line-up of celebrities like Kate Moss , Kendall Jenner and Frank Ocean, alongside lesser known faces. She has also worked on  Virgil Abloh 's Tribute via Louis Vuitton, H&M's Summer/Swimwear campaign, Mac Cosmetics's holiday campaign and Calvin Klein S22 campaign.

After graduating from the Academy of Art University in 2001, Nielsen’s career began as a casting agent for the prominent agency The Establishment, working for fashion shows, editorials and advertising campaigns such as DKNY, Rodarte and Apple.

She subsequently became the senior celebrity licensing agent at IMG-owned Art + Commerce, collaborating with photographers including Steven Meisel , Ellen Von Unwerth and Carter Smith on producing celebrity content. Her work was regularly featured in fashion publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, Glamour, GQ and i-D.

In 2013, Nielsen opened her own creative consulting agency specialising in fashion and entertainment. She has spearheaded fashion’s diversity movement, casting unknown or alternative faces for commercial and fashion campaigns. “My job is no longer just about finding a beautiful face. We now look for diversity and uniqueness as much as anything. Brands aren’t afraid to put their clothes on people of different sizes or backgrounds anymore,” she told Flair.

Career

Shay Nielsen

Shay Nielsen

Casting Director

2013 - Present

Los Angeles, United States

Art & Commerce

Art & Commerce

Senior Celebrity Licensing Agent

2008 - 2012

New York, United Staes

The Establishment

The Establishment

Casting Agent

New York, United States

Education

Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California

Vital Statistics

Nationality

United States

Location
United States
Member since
2017

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What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.