Some stories start with a spotlight. Others start with a spark. For Kailey Joa-Johnson, the spark lit quietly in Virginia Beach. Three years later, it crackled all the way to New York and Milan.
She is poised. yet purposeful. She is proving that passion paired with persistence is the most powerful runway combination of all.
A Local Stage, A Global Vision
Kailey Joa-Johnson did not grow up dreaming of flashing bulbs and front rows. She found modeling organically. She stepped onto a local Virginia Beach stage and felt something click immediately.
That first show was not just a performance. It was a calling.
In a sit-down interview with Madison Avenue Magazine stage-side at the Runway7 Fashion New York Fashion Week show, Kailey opened up about where it all began. “I first started on a local show in Virginia Beach,” she said. “From there, I just fell in love with it. I was like, I need to keep pursuing this. And here I am now for New York Fashion Week.”
Just like that, a career was born. Her voice carries warm, electric certainty. Within three years of that first local walk, Kailey had moved onto some of the most competitive runways in the world. Furthermore, she did it without waiting for perfect conditions or permission from anyone.
Her journey from a Virginia beach town to New York City is not just inspiring. It is a blueprint for every aspiring model who has ever been told the runway is not for them.
“I first started on a local show in Virginia Beach, and from there, I just fell in love with it.”
Runway7 and the Power of Production
When Kailey discovered Runway7 Fashion, she knew it was where she belonged. Founded in 2020, Runway7 has grown into one of the fastest-rising fashion production companies in the United States. Per Runway7 Fashion’s official platform page, the company earned a spot among America’s Top 500 fastest-growing private companies by INC 5000.
The production has showcased over 700 designers from more than 30 countries. It connects global talent directly to press, buyers, and celebrities. Runway7 hosts its signature shows at Sony Hall in the heart of Manhattan. There, LED stage design, live performances, and storytelling merge into one full-sensory experience.
Kailey saw the buzz online and felt the pull instantly. While speaking with us stage-side at NYFW, she explained exactly what drew her in. “Honestly, I’ve been seeing their page being posted all around Instagram,” she said. “Once I saw the production, I was like, I need to join.”
Beyond the visuals, it was the people that sealed the deal. “After meeting the entire production and the staff and everyone, everyone is so sweet and organized,” she told us. “I love this production.”
That warmth matters in an industry that can often feel cold. According to amNewYork, Runway7 is defined by its commitment to bridging the gap between the public and designers from across the world. It creates an environment where both everyday New Yorkers and industry professionals feel genuinely welcome.
The Runway Roars, and Kailey Answers
Walking New York Fashion Week is not a small thing. The lights blaze. The cameras click and whir. The energy hums and surges all at once. Yet Kailey moved through it with grace that photographers noticed right away.
In a fall 2025 feature, ShutterSpire Magazine spotlighted Kailey walking New York Fashion Week in So Like You Fashions couture. Photographer Tommy Butler captured her in motion, and the feature described her as a recognizable force known for professionalism and poise.
She brings something different to every look she wears on the runway. “When I’m modeling streetwear, I’ll walk with more swag and oomph,” she shared in that same ShutterSpire article. “With the bathing suit designs, the ones with beautiful carnival wings, it allows me to showcase more of my lively side. With the more elegant long dresses, that allows me to be more graceful.”
Swag, shimmer, and sophistication. Kailey Joa-Johnson delivers all three.
“Each of the styles I’ve modeled so far gives me an opportunity to showcase a different side of myself.”
Milan Calling, and She Answered
New York was only the beginning. Shortly after her NYFW debut with Runway7, Kailey Joa-Johnson packed her bags and flew to Italy. Milan Fashion Week welcomed her, and she arrived completely ready.
There, she worked alongside designer Siren Couture. According to Vanity Fair Germany, Siren Couture is helmed by designer Cassandra Fiona Houck. Houck is a celebrated beauty queen and seasoned model whose brand has earned its place on international runways.
For Kailey, Milan was nothing short of transformative. During our exclusive interview, she lit up talking about the experience. The energy in her voice said everything words could not.
The ShutterSpire fall 2025 article captured even more of that feeling. “Milan was such an unforgettable trip, and I loved every single minute of it,” Kailey said. “Getting to know the culture of Italy was amazing. The people there are so sweet and welcoming.”
Siren Couture is known for striking big wings and crocheted bathing suits adorned with gems. Each piece feels exotic and utterly unforgettable on the runway. Kailey also walked for Siren Couture at Miami Fashion Week, showing that their creative bond extends well beyond a single season or city.
Italy, New York, Miami. The stamps on Kailey’s passport are growing fast and loud.
Never Take No for an Answer
Behind every polished walk is a story the audience never sees. For Kailey Joa-Johnson, that story includes a moment of doubt so sharp it nearly stopped everything cold.
Early in her career, someone told her directly that they did not see her succeeding in modeling. Instead of wilting, Kailey held that doubt like a coal and let it burn into fuel.
“Never take no for an answer,” she said firmly when we caught up with her stage-side. “At the beginning of my career, someone told me that they don’t see me succeeding in modeling. And here I am six months later, right in New York Fashion Week. I recently just got back from Italy modeling Milan Fashion Week.”
She also shared a quieter, more personal moment in the ShutterSpire fall 2025 piece. When she was close to quitting, she prayed for a sign. The very next day, she found the exact prop she needed for an editorial shoot sitting unexpectedly on a shelf at Aldi’s. She took it as her answer and kept going.
Persistence is not always loud. Sometimes it is a whispered prayer and a basketball in a grocery aisle.
“Never take no for an answer. Always keep striving for your dream.”
Paris, the Future, and What Comes Next
The runway does not stop, and neither does Kailey. Next on her horizon is Paris Fashion Week, the crown jewel of the global fashion calendar. A return to Milan is also in the works as she builds international momentum season by season.
“What’s next is Paris Fashion Week is coming up, and so is Milan,” she told us. “So I’m working on getting there.”
Her long-term goals are equally ambitious. The ShutterSpire fall 2025 feature noted that Kailey has her sights set on Victoria’s Secret, Dior, Prada, and Giorgio Armani. She plans to grow her agency connections, refine her posing, and continue expanding her range across streetwear, couture, and editorial work.
Beyond the runway, she has already appeared on an HGTV house-hunting show, proving her versatility reaches well into television. Her brand is building. Reach is widening. Her energy, that warm, grounded, gritty energy, travels beautifully across every platform and every city.
Virginia Beach gave her the stage. New York gave her the spotlight. Milan gave her the wings. Next stop is Paris.
Watch for the name Kailey Joa-Johnson. It will keep appearing on the best runways in the world and likely in a reality TV show or two.
Follow Kailey Joa-Johnson on Instagram: @kaileyjoaj
Learn more about Runway7 Fashion at runway7fashion.com
