Italian actor and model Francesco Dalli Cani continues to expand his presence within Los Angeles’ fashion industry, adding another major runway production to his growing résumé with LAUNCH Fashion Week, a showcase dedicated to celebrating emerging designers and the evolution of contemporary streetwear.
Since relocating from Italy to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career, Dalli Cani has steadily built a reputation that extends beyond film sets. While earning his Master of Fine Arts in Acting for Film from the New York Film Academy, he also discovered an unexpected passion for runway modeling—an opportunity that has introduced him to designers, producers, photographers, and creative collaborators across Southern California.
Having already appeared in events including Divinity LAFW, IFSM Fashion Week, numerous fashion segments for Mañana Latina, and editorials for Cour La Reine Magazine, LAUNCH Fashion Week marked another important milestone in a career that continues to bridge both acting and fashion.
Held at Rosewolff Studio in the heart of Los Angeles’ Fashion District, LAUNCH Fashion Week brought together nine emerging designers for an evening dedicated to creativity, individuality, and the next generation of fashion talent. Produced by Kenzie Peterson, the showcase highlighted fresh voices in streetwear while creating an environment where designers and models could collaborate to bring each collection to life.
For Dalli Cani, joining the event was the result of relationships built through previous projects.
“I first met Kenzie while working another runway,” he recalls. “Then we crossed paths again during one of the fashion segments for Mañana Latina. Over the following months we worked together several times, and eventually she mentioned this project she was producing. It sounded like a fantastic opportunity.”
After submitting his modeling comp card, Dalli Cani was invited to audition through a self-taped runway submission, showcasing his walk and three different poses. Only days later, he received the news that he had been cast. As the event approached, the participating models received their designer assignments. To Francesco’s surprise, he would be representing not one, but three separate fashion houses during the evening.
Among them was One World Peace, a designer whose work he had previously modeled on Mañana Latina, allowing him to reunite with a brand he had already come to admire. He would also walk for Dabney Apparel and 420ness, requiring multiple wardrobe changes throughout the show.
“I was honestly excited,” he says. “Every designer has a different vision, and that’s what makes runway work so interesting. You’re constantly adapting to tell a different visual story.”
That ability to adapt became especially important once the official running order was released.
Normally, runway productions stagger designers to allow models enough time for costume changes between appearances. This time, however, Francesco’s three designers appeared consecutively in the lineup.
To make matters even more challenging, his final designer required two completely different looks.
“It definitely made me pause for a moment,” he laughs. “I realized pretty quickly there wasn’t going to be much time to breathe.”
Rather than panic, Dalli Cani approached the challenge with careful preparation. He organized an entire corner of the backstage dressing area, laying out every outfit, accessory, and pair of shoes in precise order before the show even began.
“I wanted everything exactly where I needed it. No searching. No wasted movement. Just maximum efficiency.”
Producer Kenzie Peterson also adjusted the running order by allowing Francesco to skip the final group walk for his first two designers, giving him precious extra minutes to prepare for the following collections. The strategy worked flawlessly. Despite four separate wardrobe changes and three consecutive designer presentations, he completed every walk without missing a cue.
“It ended up running surprisingly smoothly,” he says. “Sometimes preparation really is everything.”
That philosophy reflects much of Dalli Cani’s approach to both acting and modeling. While many performers see runway work as an opportunity to showcase themselves, Francesco views it differently.
“For me, modeling has never been about me,” he explains. “It’s about honoring the designer’s vision. My responsibility is to present their work as professionally and respectfully as possible. The clothing tells the story—I simply help bring that story to life.”
That storyteller’s mindset is perhaps unsurprising. Raised in northern Italy before relocating to Los Angeles, Dalli Cani developed his artistic foundation through classical theatre, earning a law degree before ultimately choosing to pursue acting full-time in the United States. Since arriving in Hollywood, he has appeared in multiple independent film productions while continuing to study character work, dialects, and physical transformation for the screen. His runway career has become another extension of that same discipline.
“Whether I’m playing a character or modeling a designer’s collection, I’m asking the same question,” he says. “What story are we trying to tell?”
The day itself proved to be every bit as energetic as expected. With more than a dozen photographers documenting the event, backstage quickly became a whirlwind of wardrobe changes, last-minute adjustments, and behind-the-scenes photography. Even after the runway concluded, several photographers remained to capture editorial images featuring selected looks from the collections. Francesco was among the models invited to continue shooting after the audience had departed.
“By the time we finished, almost everyone had gone home,” he recalls. “The chairs had already been cleared away and they were beginning to turn off the lights.”
One unexpected bonus came at the end of the evening. Dabney Apparel invited him to keep one of the complete looks he had modeled during the show.
“I still have it today,” he smiles. “It’s an all-black outfit with matching pants and jacket. I wear it sometimes for evenings out… just not during the daytime. Los Angeles is a little too warm for that.”
Like many productions, however, perhaps the most memorable story happened before the event even began. After receiving his audition request late one afternoon, Dalli Cani realized he had only hours to submit a professional runway self-tape. At the time, he happened to be visiting his former workplace, an escape room attraction where he had once worked as both an actor and game master. Finding a long hallway inside the building, he improvised an audition space.
“I set up my tripod and waited for the hallway to clear,” he laughs. “Every single time I tried to record, people kept walking through.”
Office workers emerged from nearby businesses, clients crossed the corridor, doors opened and closed, and conversations echoed throughout the building. Eventually, a brief moment of silence appeared.
“I filmed the entire audition as quickly as I could.” Ironically, once the recording was complete. “The hallway became completely empty.”
The self-tape proved successful. Looking back, Dalli Cani believes experiences like LAUNCH Fashion Week continue to reinforce one of the most valuable lessons he’s learned since moving to Los Angeles.
“This industry is built on relationships,” he says. “One opportunity often leads to another. Every runway, every film set, every photoshoot introduces you to talented people who may become collaborators on future projects.”
As his acting career continues to develop alongside his growing presence within the fashion world, Francesco Dalli Cani remains focused on what first brought him to Los Angeles: storytelling. Whether portraying a complex character on screen or presenting a designer’s latest collection on the runway, his goal remains the same, to serve the creative vision with professionalism, preparation, and authenticity.
For an actor who has embraced every opportunity since arriving in Hollywood, LAUNCH Fashion Week was more than another runway show. It was another step forward in a career built on versatility, collaboration, and the belief that every project offers the chance to tell a compelling story.
