The True Confessions of "Runway" Renee Thompson

January, 8th, 2008


How It All Came to be

Sometimes I sit backstage after a big show, and wonder to myself, “How did I even get here? What does all this mean?” People passing to and from saying, “You worked that runway like nobody’s business, good job!” and pats on the back astound me.They call me “runway diva” and say that “I was fierce”. And I’m like, huh..who, me?I wonder, when did this clumsy, little 15-year-old girl, with buckteeth go from awkward to Runway model? I ponder this as I sit backstage, and listen to the Déjà vu song from the B-Day album playing in the background. Perfect timing because I feel like I’m experiencing some form of déjà vu. I mean here I am, on another job for a nationally distributed magazine thinking “Who woulda’ thunk it? ”

I was only 15-years-old, when I met my future agent. As I was wandering around Oakville Place Mall, minding my own business this man-who I thought at the time was some creep- came up behind me and started asking me odd questions like, “How old are you? How long are your legs?” Little did I know that this man I labeled as a creep was actually uber agent and scout, Elmer Olsen, who was there hosting the 1999 Elite model Look contest.Next thing I knew, , my name was taken down on an entry form, and I was taking headshots so that I could compete against other girls from all over the GTA.

They definitely didn’t waste much time . This was just the beginning of my unpredictable journey into the modeling world. The next two weeks were full of assigned appearances and flashing cameras.I was one of twelve girls from all over Ontario, roaming the streets of Toronto and hitting up every hot spotin the city. We had fun going to places that pretended we were old enough to get in LOL, one of the perks of being a model.Each of us was competing to go to Paris. I felt like I was in some kind of reality TV show. Although, I didn’t win and therefore couldn’t go to Paris, I landed a NEW FACE shoot in Toronto for Life Fashion and started my career as a model.