At Springer Memorial School Akimie Worrell was just a very shy schoolgirl happy to melt in the crowd.
Now, when she struts a New York fashion runway, people see a confident model doing justice to the clothing of designers who continue to put their faith in her.
Never mind behind that sweet smile there may be the pain of the sickle cell anaemia with which the young Barbadian is afflicted. When she is strutting, no one would guess.
Akimie migrated to the United States 15 years ago and Lady Luck struck when she least expected it.
“I was going to have a bone barrow transplant and this lady she approached me one day when I was sitting in a café and she said ‘would you model for me, I am having this show.’ ”
The idea of modelling would often be suggested whenever people noticed her slender, five foot, ten-inch, and 115-pound figure. Each time, she frowned on the suggestion, replying: “I am too shy.”
This time was different. “I decided ‘well, I am going to have a bone marrow transplant and you never know what’s going to happen. I might die or something like that’, so I said ‘yes, I am going to try it because you never know what is going to happen’.”
It happened that the woman who approached her was the organiser of Africa Fashion Week in New York. On her first runway appearance, Akimie was impressive.
“I tried it and from there I went to Boston Fashion Week because they invited me there and I never stopped after that.”
She is constantly in demand and has managed to juggle modelling with studying successfully. She studied art therapy, aiming to use the discipline to help others suffering from sickle cell anaemia.
The recent graduate from the College in New Rochelle, New York has added a master’s in art therapy to her bachelor’s degree.
Will she choose a career in modelling or art therapy?
“I really like helping people so if I can combine it that would be good. I love strutting the runways and I find it therapeutic for myself and it gave me confidence that’s how I started to become more outgoing.
“I love seeing people light up as they communicate with art. If I can do runway stuff on the side like I have been doing, that’s what I want to continue doing.”
