This Woman Went Viral For Walking In Miami Swim Week & She's Not Even A Model
She lived her wildest dreams. ✨
Samantha Atherly in a swimsuit for Swim Week. Right: The models on the runway at Swim Week.
It's Miami Swim Week and one lucky woman got the opportunity to walk the runway, and she's not even a professional model!
Her name is Samantha Atherly, and she was able to be in the show through a friend that she networked with from the "Hot Girl Walks" she participated in at parks around the Magic City.
These walks are a way for women in Miami to connect with one another, and it all started on TikTok, which led to an exciting group chat that later landed her to live her wildest dreams.
"Mary Ann, the designer of Mary Mercedes Swim asked if anyone in the chat knew curve models or was a curve model. I told her I had never modeled before but sent her my Instagram and said I was interested," Atherly told Narcity in a statement. "She then reached out to me individually and asked my sizes and if I was comfortable walking down the runway and I told her yes."
She reached out on June 19, got connected with a production company, participated in rehearsals and July 15 was show day.
Atherly transformed into a professional model in less than a month, walking alongside other micro-influencers and those contracted to the famous Wilhelmina Models.
From a full glam team to the catwalk, she said she went through heartbreak just two months ago and shared her message in a TikTok that amassed over 135,000 views.
[tiktok_embed https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaatherley/video/7113377701779508526?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1⟨=en embed_desktop_height=150 embed_desktop_width=605 embed_mobile_height=150 embed_mobile_width=375 site_id=21132993 expand=1]"A month ago I was depressed because I found out my ex told his girl best friend he loved her at my birthday party at my house when we were still together and then started dating her the week after we broke up," the video reads. "Now I'm walking in my first runway show at Miami Swim Week next month."
She told Narcity she doesn't think she'll pursue modeling now but was extremely grateful for an opportunity that got her out of her comfort zone.