Yesterday’s 7 For All Mankind show during New York Fashion Week was a wild, Y2K fever dream. Recently appointed creative director Nicola Brognano was thinking of 2000s It-girls like Mary-Kate Olsen and Sienna Miller when designing his fall 2026 collection for the iconic American denim brand—so it was only natural that babydoll dresses, huge bags, and even skinny jeans made a cameo on his runway. The noughties-est detail of all, however? Having models like Summer Dirx bring back the 2000s-style stomp.
Back in the Y2K era, top models like Vlada Roslyakova, Gisele Bündchen, and Snejana Onopka were all known for their big, stompy runway walk. (Bündchen even earned a nickname for hers, dubbed the “horse walk.”) These days, models are often instructed to move so as not to distract from the clothes, but in the 2000s, their struts had personality. They were unapologetic, campy, and confident.
Dirx wanted to capture exactly that energy in the show, and social media has taken notice. “We don’t see this often,” one TikTok user noted approvingly, while another wrote, “This is so satisfying—we should bring the 2000s back.”
Vogue called up Dirx to chat about her now-viral walk. Here’s what the model had to say.
Vogue: Do you know that you’re going viral for your walk right now? How does it feel?
Summer Dirx: Yeah, I definitely have seen it! Every time I open my phone, there I am. I feel good about it. 7 For All Mankind has always been a really incredible and iconic brand. In the 2000s, Victoria’s Secret models and It-girls used to wear them. Now that I’m a Victoria’s Secret model, it really aligned with what I’m trying to do right now. I just wanted to take my walk there, the same way those girls did.
Was the Y2K stomp something the brand asked for, or did you just come up with it yourself?
No one really told me to walk like that. I ve worked with Nicola before: I opened his last show for Blumarine. He puts a lot of trust in me to really do my big one. Nicola messaged me [after the show], and he thanked me, and said it was exactly what he wanted to see.
So what went into coming up with that walk?
At the fitting, they were playing “Womanizer” [by Britney Spears], and the Spotify playlist was called “2000s hot girl.” When I saw the character and look that they had chosen for me—it was different from the other looks—I had a certain sense of how I should walk. This girl goes to a party. Then she’s going to the next party, and she’s going to end up somewhere on the street somehow—and she doesn t take her shoes off, ever. There’s probably a lot of people saying that my walk was too much, or too messy. But I really do think that the character they wanted me to play was too much and too messy.
Do you think your outfit helped you play that part even more?
It was fabulous. We had a party bracelet on, for one—that’s telling a story in itself. And the shoes were high—you can’t walk slow with those shoes. You can’t do a Prada walk with those shoes. Fashion is fun, and fashion should be fun. I’ve walked Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior—and I just hope that there’s a space in the future where these really dramatic characters can exist in a high-fashion market.
Do you have any 2000s models whose walks you’re a fan of? Who are the queens of the stomp?
I’ve always really looked up to Snejana and Sasha [Pivovarova]. Justice for Ruslana Korshunova—my heart goes out to her. All those girls knew how to stomp. And they were messy!
Why do you think your walk is getting so much attention? It’s not like you haven’t walked for other major shows.
I opened Valentino for Alessandro’s first show, but that was a different character. She was seductive and had a secret, and she walked slower. I’ve never really played this character like this before. People have been dying to see a fun girl have fun. We want to pump it!
Do you think that part of it is a nostalgia for a different time, too?
The ’90s and 2000s are always going to be the most attractive genre and era in fashion, so you might as well give the people what they want. They want a 2000s messy, hot girl. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been put in a suit, or how many times I haven’t liked the way I looked before I walk. We need to bring a little sex back to fashion. [Models in the 2000s] got to be themselves, or an exaggerated version of ourselves. Whereas now, I feel like it’s just the boyish walk over and over again.
Sounds like we need to bring individuality back.
One hundred percent. And that doesn’t mean that everyone should walk like me, or walk like Vlada or Snejana. Individuality can exist in so many ways. I’ve always had a slightly crooked, to-the-left walk. I can’t seem to get my shoulders straight or my head straight, but that’s what makes my walk mine.
How do you think this viral moment will play into your future walks? Will you be taking more risks?
Our job is to play different characters. So we’ll see what happens in the future. Look out!
This conversation has been edited and condensed.
