Teen model and actress Ahnnika Velasquez shares her thrilling experiences walking in both New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, with Paris leaving her captivated by its cultural diversity and global fashion scene. Having worked with designers from the Philippines and the U.S., Ahnnika now sets her sights on Milan Fashion Week, hoping to walk for luxury brands like Gucci and Prada. Beyond modeling, she dreams of attending the Cannes Film Festival, where she envisions combining her passions for fashion and acting. With big goals for 2025, Ahnnika remains focused, balancing school, auditions, and her growing career – all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Photo Credit: Norman M. Acuba Photography
You’ve recently walked in New York and Paris Fashion Weeks—how did those experiences differ, and what did you take away from each of them?
Though I enjoyed walking in New York Fashion Week in early September and in Paris Fashion Week during the last week of September, I found fashion week in Paris to be AMAZING! I was immersed in a whole different culture and surrounded by people speaking French and many other languages other than English, which was a whole different experience for me. Even trying to communicate with hair and makeup artists was sometimes challenging so I showed pictures of how I needed my makeup and hair to be done for each designer. I absolutely loved Paris Fashion Week and it just left me wanting to experience and pursue more international modeling opportunities. I walked for three designers in Paris Fashion Week — one of the designers, Norman M. Acuba Designs, came all the way from the Philippines and it was wonderful showcasing his beautiful collection piece! The style and colors used on his dress were elegant and vibrant. The other two designers — Archie Brown Designs and Drisha Closet — are based in the U.S. and they are designers that I’ve walked for in the past but most recently also at Paris Fashion Week. Each designer’s collections are very different from one another, and they are all so, so elegant, glamorous, bold, and unique in their visions.
You mentioned wanting to walk the prestigious runways of Milan Fashion Week. What would make that experience special for you, and how are you preparing for it?
I can only imagine what walking for some of the most prestigious designers in Milan Fashion Week would be like, and I’ve heard that the venues for these ultra-high fashion shows are beyond amazing. What would make my experience at Milan Fashion Week special for me would be to have the opportunity to walk for some of these top designers like Gucci, Prada, Versace, and a few others. Someday I am going to make that happen and will prepare by honing my runway skills, being open to different styles of fashion, and marketing myself to be a high fashion model.
Photo Credit: Tetiana Akselento
From runway to red carpet, you’ve expressed a desire to attend the Cannes Film Festival. What would attending Cannes mean for your career, both as an actress and a model?
Going to the Cannes Film Festival would be an experience of a lifetime! To be surrounded by great actors and to network with them while viewing new films would inspire me greatly to work even harder and to set goals of being successful in my acting and modeling careers. What I love also about the Cannes Film Festival is that each of the attendees wear collections by top designers and has the opportunity to model them on the red carpet, like it’s a fashion show. You see all sorts of styles, from glamour to bold to risqué to modern, and even princess-like couture. I’d love to be in the midst of it all and to share my experiences. I see myself at the Cannes Film Festival in the very near future.
Looking ahead, what are your biggest goals for 2025, both in terms of modeling and acting, and what steps are you taking to achieve them?
My biggest goals for acting in 2025 would be to book a SAG feature film or two, while for modeling it would be to wear collections from some of the top designers that I mentioned above and showcase their designs on the ultra-high fashion runway and at Cannes. To achieve these goals, I need to continue to focus, work hard, and network with the right people. I also need to stay on top of my acting skills.
With auditions, modeling gigs, dance, and martial arts classes, how do you manage to stay disciplined and balanced as you pursue your education and your career?
Balancing my schoolwork and all of my professional and extra-curricular activities takes a massive amount of focus and discipline. I get little sleep sometimes trying to finish everything that I need to, but when I get off track my mom is there to get me back on track and offers to help in any way she can. Sometimes I do start to feel burned out, but I am encouraged to take it one day at a time and to focus on the day’s work that needs to be done while in the back of my mind knowing what my ultimate end goal is. If I have any extra time, I will try to get ahead with my schoolwork. So far, managing my time has been pretty good and I am still able to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
Photo Credit: Laurent Thouvenin
Where can we follow you on social media?
You can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at @theofficial.ahnnikamv