It’s a Cinderella story for the ages.
On Aug. 10, 19-year-old Remington Williams was scrubbing dishes at a North Austin Chipotle restaurant when a modeling agency spotted her. The next thing she knew she was strutting down the catwalk at New York Fashion Week.
When Tanni Foreman, owner of the Foreman Management agency asked if she'd be interested in becoming a model, Williams, a college student studying graphic design, was shocked. And intrigued.
Now, barely a month later, she’s walked runways for the likes of Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and, currently, Paris Fashion Week.
Foreman was out to dinner with her husband and daughter at the Chipotle when she saw Williams in the back of the restaurant, "lugging around huge trays and washing dishes."
“She’s wearing this Chipotle uniform — T-shirt, hat, pants,” Foreman said. “With me, when I see a potential model, I can tell really quickly, I can see in their face if they’ve got what it takes.”
After a quick chat during Williams' lunch break, they arranged to meet the next day at Foreman's company, Foreman Management, a "mother agency" that scouts talent and helps place models all over the world. For the next few days, Foreman said she walked Williams through the ins and outs of modeling and sent her photos to a high-profile agency called DNA Models, which replied that they wanted Williams to walk in New York Fashion Week.
Soon, Williams, who could not be reached for comment due to her busy travel schedule, was on a plane to the Big Apple. She walked her first runway as part of Calvin Klein's show on Sept. 7. She walked for Marc Jacobs on Sept. 13.
“Normally the agencies have more time to develop the girls before Fashion Week and be gently introduced to the industry,” said Foreman, who spent time with Williams in both New York and London showing her the ropes. “She was kind of thrown into the madness of it.”
For now, Williams, who was dubbed by Vogue as "Fashion Week's buzziest model," seems to be embracing the madness. She posted a photo of herself on Instagram earlier this week with the Eiffel Tower in the background and the caption "Paris is the most magical place I've ever seen. I never want to leave!"
"She went from scrubbing pots at Chipotle to meeting designers at Fashion Week. Her work ethic is so strong, she's grateful for everything," Foreman said. "That's my favorite part of this business. I love finding somebody and changing their life."
About the Author
