South Surrey teen model Annika Van Vliet is no stranger to the spotlight, and it乌鸦传媒檚 about to get a whole lot brighter.
At 15, Annika has posed for numerous photo shoots, given television interviews and walked fashion-week runways in both Vancouver and Toronto 乌鸦传媒� activities she only began dipping her toe into about a year ago.
On Saturday (Sept. 9), she乌鸦传媒檒l shine in the Big Apple, with her photo among 500 to be featured in a jumbotron video presentation in New York乌鸦传媒檚 Times Square launching the 2023 Buddy Walk, an annual event to raise awareness for Down syndrome in the U.S.
But Annika乌鸦传媒檚 brightest moment so far is yet to come, and one many aspiring models can only dream of: walking the runway for Paris Fashion Week.
The prestigious affair乌鸦传媒檚 autumn/winter edition is set for Sept. 25 to Oct. 2, with Annika乌鸦传媒檚 moment on the runway at Le Bristol Paris hotel to come on Oct. 1.
Walking with La Belle magazine 乌鸦传媒� a publication, according to labellkidz.com, 乌鸦传媒渇or the trendsetting and style-savvy child乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� she乌鸦传媒檚 been training for the experience since first learning she乌鸦传媒檇 been chosen for it a couple of months ago.
She doesn乌鸦传媒檛 yet know what she乌鸦传媒檒l be wearing, but when it comes to what乌鸦传媒檚 expected of her, she knows to look straight ahead, do 乌鸦传媒渢he walk乌鸦传媒� and pause for a three-second pose in either direction when she reaches the runway乌鸦传媒檚 end before walking back.
While full of shy giggles and blushing during a FaceTime chat with Peace Arch News Thursday (Sept. 7), Annika comes into her own in front of a camera, her mom said. Her Instagram page (@annika.jillian) is bursting with examples.
乌鸦传媒淧eople her whole life have told me, 乌鸦传媒榶ou gotta get her into modelling,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 said Lisa, in explaining her daughter乌鸦传媒檚 path to the jumbotron and Paris. 乌鸦传媒淪he was always a poser乌鸦传媒� always been very photogenic and very, like, a ham, so I just threw her in the (modelling) shows.乌鸦传媒�
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Annika, who started Grade 10 at St. John Paul II Academy this week, broke into modelling after being discovered during a June 2022 Glam-Z gala. Approached by three agencies, she ultimately signed on with , an Edmonton-based 乌鸦传媒渄isability-focused talent and media company,乌鸦传媒� and her interest hasn乌鸦传媒檛 wavered, her mom said.
乌鸦传媒淭his kid has been working non-stop ever since,乌鸦传媒� said Lisa.
乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 15 and she乌鸦传媒檚 just killin乌鸦传媒� it.乌鸦传媒�
Lisa said she and her husband Troy had plenty of time to prepare for the joys and challenges that come with raising a child born with Down syndrome 乌鸦传媒� Annika was diagnosed in-utero, at just 15 weeks into Lisa乌鸦传媒檚 pregnancy.
They did 乌鸦传媒渢ons乌鸦传媒� of therapy with her from the moment she was born and 乌鸦传媒渁lways push her to be her best.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e never subscribed to the 乌鸦传媒榗an乌鸦传媒檛,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 said Lisa.
Annika, she noted, knows she has Down syndrome, but doesn乌鸦传媒檛 let it hold her back. In addition to her modelling, she is currently ambassador for both Canadian Down Syndrome Society and the .
Saturday乌鸦传媒檚 Buddy Walk presentation is to air live from 9:30-10:30 a.m. EST on the . Annika乌鸦传媒檚 photo is scheduled to appear between 10:20-10:30 a.m. EST (7:20-7:30 a.m. local time).
