Natalia Bryant Admits How She Really Felt About Her Runway Debut

Natalia Bryant held nothing back when describing her first runway experience, and it's incredibly relatable.

In 2021, the daughter of Vanessa Bryant and the late Kobe Bryant announced her foray into the fashion world by signing with IMG Models. "I have always been interested in fashion since a very young age. I have a love for the industry, and ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a model," she said in a statement posted on IMG Models' Instagram account. "There is a lot to learn, but I feel this is a great opportunity for me to learn and express myself creatively." Since that fateful day, the young talent has slowly started to immerse herself in the fashion world by attending various fashion events like the 2022 CFDA Awards, where she stunned in a hooded pink dress, per E! News.

In September 2023, Natalia finally made her runway debut when she walked for Versace during Milan Fashion Week. "I'm so grateful to Donatella [Versace] and am honored that she has invited me to be a part of something so special," she told Vogue at the time. She also praised Donatella Versace for being welcoming and easing her nerves. Months after strutting down the runway, Natalia shared new and unfiltered details about the exciting moment during a recent sit-down with Town & Country magazine.

In her immersive interview for Town & Country's February 2023 issue, Natalia Bryant shared all the details regarding her runway debut, including the emotions she experienced at the time. "I was completely terrified," she revealed to the publication. Despite experiencing fear before her first runway show, Bryant didn't let it get the best of her. In fact, she developed a new love and appreciation for the art of runway, adding, "I remember after I walked, I turned to someone and said, 'Oh my god, let's do that again!'"

Towards the end of her statement, Bryant attributed her runway success to the advice she received from fellow models like Gigi Hadid, who gave the former advice in a video for Vogue's Instagram at the time. "I just said to just try to take in the moment and let yourself like remember it," the mother of one explained. "In rehearsal, they're gonna tell you to walk fast. They're gonna yell. They're gonna scream at you to walk fast." Toward the end of their heartwarming exchange, Hadid exclaimed to Bryant how proud she was of her, and even started to tear up.

The fashion world isn't the only new life path that's been exciting Natalia Bryant recently. In addition to walking Versace fashion shows, the young talent has also embarked on a journey as a student at the University of Southern California (USC). In a 2022 interview with ET, Bryant opened up about her experience attending the prestigious college, where she's working toward a film degree. "I'm loving everything. I feel like this whole year flew by so fast. It was everything I expected and honestly more," she told the news outlet. 

Elsewhere in the interview, she gushed about rooming with "Euphoria" star Storm Reid, explaining that they quickly found a good core group of best friends. Bryant's love for film and the entertainment industry has even landed her an internship with Beyoncé. According to Teen Vogue, the emerging model helped support the singer's critically acclaimed Renaissance World Tour.

While Bryant's life as of late has been a crazy ride full of fashion shows, industry events, and incredible college experiences, she's never lost her way. It's a determination she has attributed to her late father and his "mamba mentality" mindset. "Mamba mentality is about constantly trying to be the best version of yourself," she told Elle in October 2023. "It's putting your best foot forward at all times, regardless of all the noise. I want to make sure that mentality stays intact, because it can be so easy to give up on yourself when things get tough."