Vanessa Bryant, Gigi Hadid & More Cheer for Natalia as She Walks NYFW Runway

Last year, right before her big Milan Fashion Week debut, Natalia Bryant confessed she was “completely terrified.” Hard to believe, right? Because looking at her now, you’d never guess she was that same nervous girl just a year ago. While L.A. will always be home, Kobe Bryant’s oldest daughter has been owning her style game in New York lately. She just shared her latest runway pics on Instagram, and the comments? Total girls’ girl vibes all the way.

On Friday, Natalia Bryant lit up the runway in a daring supermodel fit, sharing a fierce clip of her walk along with behind-the-scenes moments of glam, prep, and all the beautiful chaos that comes with it. She even posted a collage featuring fellow models from the show—yes, including Travis Barker’s son Landon. Wrapping it all up, she captioned, “Yesterday @off____white Thank you so much for having me @ibkamara @sivancurrie @mischanot @nellkalonji ❤️🫂!”

Under Natalia’s post, the sweetest reaction came from her mom, Vanessa Bryant, who simply wrote, “Gorgeous!!!”—because facts. Vanessa has always been her biggest cheerleader, even sharing a story of Natalia’s runway walk. Back when she made her modeling debut at the Versace Spring 2024 show in Milan, Vanessa gushed, “I’m so proud of you! You did it mama!!!! I love you so much and I’m so happy for you.” And off the runway, Natalia keeps things close to home, helping Vanessa with her little sisters Bianka, 8, and Capri, 6, whether it’s a WNBA game in NYC or a family stroll through Central Park with their dog.

Another name that stood out in the comments was Gigi Hadid, who sweetly wrote, “So beautiful!”—and it’s not just a random compliment. Gigi has been by Natalia’s side since the very start of her modeling journey, even giving her advice before her Milan Fashion Week debut. “I said to just try to take in the moment and let yourself remember it,” Hadid told Vogue about their conversation. Honestly, it’s pretty iconic when one of the world’s top supermodels is cheering you on like that.

Even Meadow Rain Walker, daughter of Fast & Furious star Paul Walker, joined in the love, commenting, “YES!!! So beautiful!!!❤️” on Natalia’s post. Their bond goes beyond Instagram too—just this February, the two enjoyed a dinner date together. Meadow even shared a sweet snap on her Instagram Story from Feb. 25, with Natalia smiling across the table while a dessert sat in front of her.

Even Swin Cash, the former WNBA star, showed love under Natalia’s post, commenting,

“Yasss🔥🔥The walk, the look, the moment! Congrats Natalia 👏🏾 Keep Shining ✨.” Swin’s connection to the Bryants goes way back—she’s often spoken about her fond memories with Kobe. Back in 2020, she shared, “I think for me, it’s more the interactions. I think more the interactions than USAB. I think it’s more of the interactions with Kobe even during the finals when I was in Detroit, and the Pistons were winning their first championship against the Lakers. I mean, he’s just a student of the game…So, I’m just going to remember my interactions with him, with Vanessa.”

Not just the ladies—Kobe’s close friend Caron Butler also dropped a

“🔥👏” under Natalia’s post. About their bond, Kobe once said, “It’s very rare for me to open up to somebody like that, but I just had a connection with him. He’s one of my favorite teammates.” In his 20-year NBA career, Kobe made only four friends: Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Ronnie Turiaf, and Butler. Their backgrounds couldn’t have been more different—Kobe grew up well-provided for, while Butler faced arrests, prison, and a tough upbringing. Yet despite only one season together in L.A., they clicked instantly, forming one of the closest friendships of Kobe’s life.

Natalia Bryant recently graduated cum laude from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a degree in film, and she’s already making waves as a professional model. Earlier this year, she fronted David Yurman’s April 2025 graduation campaign and starred in VS PINK’s August 2024 Back-to-Campus push. She also led UGG’s Autumn/Winter 2023 “Feels Like UGG” ads and has strutted high-fashion runways with ease. Off the runway, Natalia interned at Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment in May 2023 and even appeared in student films long before her USC finale. Now, she’s carrying that same drive forward while honoring her father,

Kobe Bryant.

Honoring Kobe: Natalia’s storytelling journey

Last month, Natalia Bryant stepped into the spotlight in a way that feels like she’s carrying her father’s torch forward. Nike dropped a 61-second short film,

Rings-N-Things, starring Natalia and Jalen Brunson, just in time for Kobe’s birthday. The ad kicks off with Brunson strolling into a jewelry shop run by Big Time Tommie, ready to grab the brand-new Nike Kobe 3 Protro “Halo” colorway—but Natalia isn’t having it. Channeling serious Mamba energy, she snatches the sneakers from his reach and drops the line, “You reach, I teach.” From there, she grills Brunson with clutch-style questions to see if he’s worthy of Kobe’s iconic kicks, closing with a mic-drop, “You might be ready, but I’m still not convinced.” Fun detail: the shoes even feature diamond accents as a tribute to Natalia’s middle name, Diamanté.

But Natalia’s connection to her dad goes deeper than sneakers. She recently graduated cum laude from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, and her passion for storytelling has been evident since childhood. “I grew up in a female-dominated household watching Sofia Coppola’s films [portray] women and especially girlhood,” she told Flaunt Magazine, eyes lighting up. It wasn’t volleyball trophies or a famous-last-name pressure that pulled her in—it was Coppola’s dreamy sisterhood and Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, which she dragged friends to see five times. Inspired by those on-screen bonds, her senior thesis explored a similarly intimate connection, proving she’s carving her own path in film while honoring the lessons Kobe instilled: passion, dedication, and storytelling.

Kobe himself always believed in the power of stories. After 20 NBA seasons, he launched Granity Studios in 2016 to inspire future athletes with shows, films, and books. “I knew filmmaking was where I wanted to go,” he told TheWrap in 2017, and his Oscar-winning short film Dear Basketball wasn’t just a side project—it was a declaration of his passion. “The best way to inspire the next generation of athletes is through stories,” Kobe said. Natalia is clearly taking that to heart—whether it’s leading high-fashion campaigns or starring in Nike’s Kobe 3 Protro commercial, she’s keeping her dad’s legacy alive.