Don’t slump; strut! That’s what legendary runway coach and reality show star J. Alexander thinks when he sees today’s ho-hum models trudging down the catwalk.
“The [new] girls are afraid of the walk, they’re afraid of the clothing, they’re afraid of the shoes,” the 6-foot-5 former model told The Post after the Noon by Noor show at New York Fashion Week, which was attended by Lea Michele and Camilla Belle. “Not all tall and pretty can be a model. Tall and pretty needs personality and character. This is what the girls are lacking.”
“Younger people want more simplicity, but sometimes a good garment needs a really good exaggerated walk,” says Alexander, also known as Miss J. “I miss it!”
The way he sees it, Instagram culture is draining the chutzpah from the catwalk.
“It’s because we have social media telling you that it’s OK,” says the former “America’s Next Top Model” judge. “Social media is allowing you to be a star without having to put the work into it.”
Speaking of stars, J. will be the subject of an upcoming documentary from a team of Swedish producers.
“They’ve been chasing me for two years,” says the fashion expert, who has taught everyone from Nadja Auermann to Naomi Campbell how to sashay with confidence. “It’s about my journey from the South Bronx to Paris. I think what I want to do is go to every address where I’ve ever lived and share a story from that address. The research is cra-a-zy.”