ASPIRING models strutted their stuff to try to win a place on the catwalk of Oxford’s hottest fashion event.

Glittering high heels, boots, pointed stilettos and designer trainers helped dozens of wannabe models parade before the judges in a bid to become a model in Oxford Fashion Week.

Men and women, some as young as 16, put their best foot forward to impress Oxford Fashion Studio (OFS) judges at the Varsity Club, in High Street, on Saturday.

Those judged the most worthy will secure a place as a model during the glitzy week-long celebration of fashion from Monday, October 26 to Saturday, October 31.

Medical student Sarah Billingsley was hoping to take to the catwalk for the third time before she graduates next summer.

The 23-year-old, from Cowley, said she was addicted to the event and will be thrilled to be involved again.

She added: “I just absolutely love it. It’s really fun compared to working on the wards.

“It’s grown so much and it’s brilliant that it uses local girls and guys.

“A lot of people are interested in modelling and fashion and this is very accessible to local girls who otherwise would not have the opportunity to do it.”

However, 16-year-old Emily Wilcox was taking to the catwalk for the first time, and feeling nervous.

The teenager from Headington said: “Knowing all eyes are on you is quite nerve-wracking, but I am going to try to get through it. I would be so happy if I was chosen because it’s Oxford Fashion Week and I am from Oxford so I would be quite proud because it’s my home town.”

Organisers OFS have returned from their first whirlwind tour of New York, London, Paris, Oxford, Los Angeles and Houston in time to host open castings for this season’s models.

Blondes, brunettes, men and women got to put their best foot forward to impress judges Tiffany Saunders, former Face of Oxford Fashion Week, and Oxford ambassador Samantha Rousselle. Ms Saunders was chosen as the face of the 2010 show, and has stayed with the studio to become its creative director.

The 25-year-old from Witney said becoming an Oxford Fashion Week model was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the men and women.

She added: “Now we are going to all these other countries everyone’s attention is on us and looking at what we are doing.

“We are in a beautiful part of England and what we are doing has been taken to so many other places, but all eyes are now here.”

In its sixth year, the event will return to its first-ever base in the Sheldonian Theatre for its headline black tie Couture Show at the end of the week.

This year’s show will be raising cash for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association in partnership with Oxford University’s Fashion Society.

A full line-up for this year’s Oxford Fashion Week will be published in the coming weeks, and the Face of Oxford Fashion Week chosen after castings end.

The second casting session takes place from 1pm until 5pm at the Varsity Club, High Street, on Saturday.

For more information and to sign up visit tinyurl.com/nnpunwd.