Who will walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and win $20,000? You decide.
Wendy Ida
Must finish first in their group to advance to the Quarterfinals.
The next 2 highest ranked competitors will advance to a Wildcard round.
Voting for this round ends on August 15, 2026 at 9:00 PM EDT
About Wendy Ida
I am a 74-year-old, two-time Guinness World Records holder, 8-time national fitness champion, bestselling author, speaker, and domestic violence survivor who transformed her life after losing 80 pounds and now I inspire people on healthy aging.
Learn More About Wendy Ida
What makes you the Next Runway Star?
What makes me the next runway star isn’t just how I walk—it’s the life I’ve walked through. At 74 years old, I represent something the fashion world is finally beginning to celebrate: strength that comes with experience. I’ve spent decades helping people transform their health, rebuild their confidence, and believe in themselves again. Every wrinkle tells a story. Every muscle represents discipline. Every smile represents gratitude. I’ve overcome obstacles that could have defined me, but instead they refined me. Today, I use my life to inspire others to believe that age is never a limitation and that confidence is the most beautiful thing anyone can wear. If chosen, I won’t just walk the runway—I will walk for every person who has ever been told they’re too old, too late, or not enough. My presence will remind people that beauty doesn’t expire, purpose doesn’t retire, and dreams don’t have an age limit.
What would this once in a lifetime experience mean to you and why?
Walking in New York Fashion Week would be so much more than a personal achievement—it would be a platform to change the way people see aging. For years, I’ve encouraged others to embrace movement, confidence, and healthy living. To stand on that runway would allow me to show the world that vitality has no expiration date. It would send a powerful message to women and men everywhere that life doesn’t slow down because you get older—it expands when you continue believing in yourself. This experience would also allow me to inspire the next generation by showing that dreams don’t have deadlines. Whether you’re 24 or 74, courage can open doors you never imagined. For me, this runway isn’t just fashion. It’s purpose, representation, and hope.
What are you most proud of about yourself or what have you overcome and why?
What I’m most proud of is that I refused to let my past define my future. I was forced to marry my high school sweetheart and endured 13 years of mental, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. There were times I didn’t think I’d live past 43. I was 80 pounds overweight, exhausted, constantly sick, and had lost all sense of self-worth. Then I made the bravest decision of my life: I escaped, taking my young son and daughter and fleeing from New Jersey to California with only the clothes on our backs. Starting over after 40 felt impossible, but fitness became my healing. I lost 80 pounds, rebuilt my confidence, and discovered strength I never knew I had. Today, I use that same strength to help others transform their lives. My greatest victory isn’t what I survived—it’s the woman I became because I refused to give up.
What would you do with the $20,000 cash prize?
The $20,000 would allow me to expand my mission of helping people live healthier, stronger, and more confident lives. I would invest in creating more educational content, workshops, and programs that encourage healthy aging, fitness, nutrition, and self-confidence for people of all ages—especially those who believe it’s too late to change their lives. I would also use part of the prize to increase my outreach through speaking engagements and community programs so I can inspire even more people to reclaim their health and their purpose. I believe I embody what a “runway star” represents—because I’m a woman who has earned every step she takes. Winning would certainly be a blessing for me, but I believe the greatest reward would be using that opportunity to create a ripple effect that empowers and changes the lives of others. That’s the legacy I want to build.
Content from Wendy Ida
Wendy on the Scene
Speaker & Media Montage
Vote for Wendy Ida
Rise is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that helps sexual assault survivors across the country and around the world. They’ve created the most successful legislative reform movement in U.S. history: 120 laws passed, 1 UN Resolution and 112 million people’s lives impacted by their efforts.
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