A South Surrey teen who walked the runway during Paris Fashion Week had all the right moves during her brief few seconds of fame, giving the red JJChlo茅_official gown and feathered @chrisanthicouture_ headpiece she was decked out in some well-deserved flair on the international stage.
But ask the 15-year-old today 乌鸦传媒� just weeks after her return 乌鸦传媒� if she乌鸦传媒檚 still riding high from the experience, and her response may come as a surprise.
乌鸦传媒淧eople ask her about it, she covers her face乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒�(says) 乌鸦传媒榠t乌鸦传媒檚 kind of embarrassing,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Annika Van Vliet乌鸦传媒檚 mom, Lisa, chuckled Thursday (Oct. 26).
For Lisa, the reaction is nothing new. It乌鸦传媒檚 how her daughter has always rolled when it comes to the modelling career the teen stepped into about a year ago.
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Represented by 乌鸦传媒� an Edmonton-based 乌鸦传媒渄isability-focused talent and media company乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� Annika has given television interviews, posed for numerous photo shoots and walked fashion-week runways in both Vancouver and Toronto since being discovered during a Glam-Z gala in June 2022.
In September, she was larger than life in the Big Apple, when an image of her was part of a jumbotron video presentation in New York乌鸦传媒檚 Times Square to launch the 2023 Buddy Walk, an annual event to raise awareness for Down syndrome in the U.S.
Shy in her day-to-day life, it乌鸦传媒檚 clear Annika transforms in front of the camera (@annika.jillian), leaving all her inhibitions behind-the-scenes to revel in the limelight. Once a shoot wraps up, however, the experience is 乌鸦传媒渙ut of sight out of mind.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭he minute she乌鸦传媒檚 done, it乌鸦传媒檚 over,乌鸦传媒� said Lisa. 乌鸦传媒淧eople are blown away by the difference.乌鸦传媒�
In Paris, Annika walked for La Belle magazine. She trained for months to master the precise moves that would be expected of her overseas, then hopped a plane with her mom for the Sept. 25-Oct. 2 affair.
The pair took in a few of France乌鸦传媒檚 well-known sites ahead of her Oct. 1 debut, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
Her time on the runway in the Le Bristol Paris hotel lasted all of 22 seconds, and true to form, Annika乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渁lter ego乌鸦传媒� took over for the duration.
Lisa described the experience as one of 乌鸦传媒渢rue inclusion,乌鸦传媒� one where Annika乌鸦传媒檚 Down syndrome did not define her.
乌鸦传媒淪he was just one of the models 乌鸦传媒� just blended in, did her own thing. And that乌鸦传媒檚 what we like to see,乌鸦传媒� her mom said.
乌鸦传媒淭he minute she stands out, she乌鸦传媒檚 not included.乌鸦传媒�
