SUMMERSIDE – Alli Walker moved to Toronto when she was 19 with one suitcase, a guitar and nowhere to live.
She was chasing her dream of becoming a singer.
After finding some success there, she thought about how she could make money doing more things that she enjoyed.
One of them was modelling.
Walker didn’t have any real expectations getting into it because she wasn’t 16 and stick thin.
“I am 27, an athletic build, and have a half-sleeve of tattoos, and had no idea there would be work with my look.”
Last year, the Summerside native was a full-time manager at a restaurant in Burlington, Ont., but knew this wasn’t for her.
“That’s when I started following all the casting agents in Toronto and submitting myself to every open audition that was looking for my look.”
Soon after, she was booked for a Nike running commercial with billboards all around Toronto, a TSN CFL commercial, and a campaign for a hair care company called OGX.
Once Walker built her resume up a little, she emailed her dream modelling agency and said “Hey, I want to be a model, sign me.”
Maybe not quite like that, she adds, laughing.
“And after a few meetings they did.”
Walker was going to auditions and was shocked to see girls there that didn’t fit her preconceived typical “model mould.”
It gave her the confidence she needed.
“I had come to find out that agencies make most of their money off of commercial or lifestyle models rather than runway or editorial models anyways. So lucky for me.”
Walker’s first job with the agency was a Mark’s Work Wearhouse campaign and made it on the cover of the flyer.
It was her first time travelling for a modelling job because the shoot was in Calgary, Alta.
The first day they shot all the clothing for the online shopping, then there was a day of shooting pictures for the flyers and other promotional material.
The third day, they basically filmed a music video that will be playing in stores and online soon, Walker said.
“It was definitely an amazing experience and every time I see myself on an advertisement I just think, how the heck is this a job. I would do this for free, except I gotta eat.”
Summerside Deputy Police Chief Sinclair Walker and his wife Jean are pleased with their daughter’s success.
“We’re pretty proud of her, no question. Alli’s always been a hard worker and she goes for what she wants,” added Sinclair.
