By Robin Jovanovich

Not many moons ago, Rachel Gordon was a little girl whose mother, Esther, donned her wizard’s hat to come up with a fun way to help her daughter overcome her shyness. When Esther coincidentally learned that a friend’s once-shy daughter was now competing in children’s fashion shows in New York, the news cast an enchanting spell over the Gordon household in Purchase.

After winning the Vicky’Z New York Modeling Competition this spring, it was off to the runway for Rachel, in this case, as Brand Ambassador for Vicky’Z New York. In July, she was one of 1,000 children, ages 4 to 14, on the catwalk at the weeklong Vicky’Z International in Bejing, where she came in third.

In September, Rachel was one of the shining stars at the largest runway venue, New York Fashion Week. And while many media eyes were on the grownup super models, it was Rachel who once again brought home a first-place trophy.

Over Veterans Day weekend, hundreds of girls were excited to be part of the East Coast Starz Runway Competition held at the Hilton Hotel in Parsippany, N.J. Five-year-old Rachel co-captained team Bossa Nova and graced the runway in colorful individual and sponsored outfits. The team came out on top in the 3 to 6-age group, earning a crown, a champion vest, and a trip around New York City in a big pink Hummer.

How has life changed in the past six months for the Ridge Street School kindergartener? When we caught up with Rachel at her home, she was poised but far from retiring. In between going to the kitchen to see what her younger brother Jared was up to, she excitedly showed us her trophies and photos from the runways. How does she like modeling? “It’s fabulous! I plan to do more.”

As we were leaving, she asked if we’d like to hear her play one of the pieces she was practicing on the piano, which, unsurprisingly she does beautifully.

Like any young girl with a head on her shoulders, Rachel Gordon knows where she’s going. She plans to follow in her parents’ footsteps and be a caring, smart mom and a surgeon who helps people like her dad, James.

Here’s to happy endings.

 

#1-At the East Coast Starz Runway Competition

#2 The “New York Ambassador” in Bejing

# 3 Rachel Gordon standing next to a display of her trophies and a photo of herself at New York Fashion Week.