EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A young El Pasoan who lost her father in a tragic accident three years ago used the strength she gained then to bring her to New York Fashion Week.
Mia Navarro represented the Sun City on the runway for New York’s Fashion Week in September.
New York Fashion Week allows designers from around the world to showcase their collections every February and September, and this year Navarro was able to walk not once, but twice.
Navarro told KTSM she first walked the runway in New York in February.
“I am always looking for more opportunities, and I saw on Instagram and applied and I casted for it,” she said.
Mia says talking to photographers and other people backstage got her the opportunity to return in September.
“I was so excited for the opportunity, and to know that I was walking for different designers, it meant a lot,” said Navarro.
She said she was able to model for two designers in September. She modeled a formal gown for designer Mara Jai, and she modeled accessories designed by Alexandria.
“I was the only one from El Paso,” she explained. “There are so many people from around the world, I even met a girl from Switzerland. It was so cool.”
She said she has been modeling since March of 2024 for Bazaar Model, and this year was the first time she really got a taste for what her career could be.
“It’s such an honor to represent our city, and to know that at a young age I have accomplished so many things,” she said.
Jackie Garcia, CEO of Bazaar Model Management, congratulated Navarro in a statement released to KTSM.
“We at Bazaar Models are incredibly proud to see Mia, one of our very own from El Paso, Texas, shining on such a prestigious stage at New York Fashion Week. To watch her grace the runway in one of the most competitive markets in the world is a true testament to her talent and dedication—and a proud moment for our entire community.”
However, it hasn’t always been fun and glamorous for Mia. She and her family experienced a big loss.
Her father was killed in a train derailment in August 2022.
El Paso County later named a park after him in is honor.
Navarro told KTSM it was that moment in her life that helped her move her attention to modeling.
Navarro said as a freshman in high school, she is exploring her career goals, and she has her sights set on writing.
“I have been looking into fashion journalism,” she said. “I love telling stories, and I love journalism. I love fashion, and since it goes hand in hand with modeling, that is something I am very passionate about.”
She also mentioned she knows where she would like to move to pursue her career: New York. Especially, after she got to see herself up in a big billboard in the middle of Times Square.
“Honestly, I knew I was going to be on the billboard, but I never imagined it was going to be in the middle of Times Square. I was in awe, and at that point, I decided I want to move there when I get older.”
Read: Read More