MANDEVILLE — Entrepreneur and creative producer Hailey Frey has built a fast-growing fashion show and creative platform on the Northshore, launching four interconnected ventures in just two years that now collectively engage more than 2,000 people and create new professional opportunities for local talent.
From Film to Fashion
The rapid expansion was born out of uncertainty. With a background in film, modeling, casting and photography, Frey saw her primary career stall during the film industry strike in 2023.
“Film was my main career, and on the weekends I worked as a photographer and a casting director,” Frey said. “When the strike hit, I realized it was the perfect time to open my own studio — a place where I could rent it out, host events and shoot my own sessions.”
She opened The Studio by Looks Like This Photography in Mandeville, creating a dedicated space for content shoots, client sessions and community gatherings. But the idea that would become The Mandeville Fashion Show came unexpectedly. It took shape during a holiday-themed photo shoot at her studio. Frey was photographing clients while her grandfather helped.
“I was shooting a client while my grandfather was dressed as the Easter Bunny between sessions, and I suddenly told him, ‘I just had a great idea,’” she said. “I wanted to create something that kept creatives working and connected during such a challenging time.”
Frey considered producing her own film but ultimately chose to launch a fashion show — something she felt was missing locally.
“There were no fashion shows in Mandeville at the level we’re used to working with,” she said. “With my background in modeling, traveling as a casting director, acting and the film industry, I knew I was the person meant to bring something new and exciting to my town.”
Scaling the Runway
She organized a model call, cast participants, partnered with local designers and boutiques, secured hair and makeup teams, photographers and a venue. The event quickly outgrew its original space and moved to a larger location. The biannual show wrapped its fourth season in January and will enter its fifth season in May. It regularly draws more than 300 attendees and featured 84 models in its most recent season, many from outside Mandeville.
This past season, Frey also worked with a crew of fashion interns from LSU who assisted backstage. The university has approved the fashion show for official internship credit for select students, allowing participants to earn legitimate hours while gaining hands-on experience in live production. Frey said the partnership was especially meaningful as she considers the show’s long-term future.
“One day, I hope to pass this down to someone as passionate as I am about this industry and community,” she said. “Creating a space where students can learn hands-on was incredibly rewarding for me.”
Frey said inclusion is central to the production.
“I’m committed to accepting all models — all shapes, sizes and ethnicities,” she said. “I want everyone to know they have a chance and a place to start.”
As the show gained traction, Frey launched a model management company to represent participants beyond the runway, helping secure paid work locally and in larger markets such as Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Las Vegas.
“In today’s world, it really is about who you know — and I strive to be that ‘who’ for these young women,” she said. “They don’t need to do it alone.”
Alongside the fashion show, Frey founded The Mandeville Girls Society, which hosts monthly events, workshops, markets and networking gatherings designed to foster connection and support among women on the Northshore. Together, the initiatives now engage more than 2,000 people.
Originally from New Orleans, Frey attended 11 schools growing up and said she often found herself starting over socially. That experience, she said, helped shape her focus on building accessible communities.
“Bringing something meaningful to a smaller city and being even a small part of these models’ futures means the world to me,” she said. “The community we’ve created is truly astonishing. Memories have been made. Friendships have been founded.”
Frey manages the ventures largely independently, overseeing marketing, bookings, event setup and breakdowns and day-to-day operations.
“I’m a one-woman team,” she said, adding that she hopes to eventually build a small support staff. “I just haven’t found my unicorn yet.”
What’s Next
Looking ahead, Frey plans to expand the Mandeville Fashion Show and launch what she describes as the first “New Orleans Swim Week,” bringing her models into a larger regional spotlight. She also intends to continue representing talent while developing additional projects she is not yet ready to announce.
For Frey, the goal remains consistent: create platforms that connect people, elevate talent and open doors for the next generation.
