By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times

Ten-inch heels are more than a fashion statement for Royal Cromwell — they are a declaration of confidence, a tribute to his unapologetic androgyny, and a symbol of defiance.

In a world that often demands conformity, Cromwell refuses to shrink. Instead, at 5 feet, 7 inches tall, he rises—and, in his heels, towers—commanding attention in ways that can’t be ignored. At just 24, Cromwell’s journey into fashion wasn’t just about style, it was about self-discovery, resilience, and making space where none existed.

As a Gen Z model, creative force, and runway coach, Cromwell, who identifies as “male with androgynous features,” has broken barriers in fashion.

In 2024, he secured a pivotal role as a model coach and the chief operating officer (COO) with RxRunway, a global fashion production company operating in more than 17 countries, including fashion capitals like Tokyo, Japan; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Milan, Italy; Paris, France; and New York City, New York.

Getting hired by RxRunway felt too good to be true, Cromwell told The Birmingham Times.

“I thought it was a scam,” he said with a laugh. “I took my student refund check and booked a flight. … I flew down to Miami, [Florida], because I had to see if it was real—and it was. I met the founder, [Cassandra Lang], and I’ve been rocking ever since.”

Cromwell’s initial booking with RxRunway as a model coach for its New York Fashion Week shows spun into his first opportunity to travel internationally in 2024.

“Every time my boss sends me an email with my tickets and confirmation, it’s still a dream,” Cromwell said. “I cry every time I leave a country. The first time I cried was [when I was] leaving Paris. … I left Dubai and cried. We went to London, [England], and Spain, and I cried both times. It’s been a very emotional and spiritually gracious process. … I’ve been trying to thank God and stay grounded the whole way because this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lot of models.”

As COO with RxRunway, Cromwell oversees the company’s global fashion productions and creative direction. He’s also launched The Artista Firm (TAF), a creative consulting firm that bridges art, business, and technology.

“We empower models and creatives with [artificial intelligence (AI)]-driven strategies for business and marketing in today’s digital landscape,” he said.

Walking Tall

For Cromwell, modeling isn’t just about clothes because nothing commands attention quite like his signature heels.

“At first, I was skeptical when my mentor, Daniel Scott Lewis, [a master in walking and runaway etiquette], proposed the idea of wearing them,” Cromwell said. “But once I put them on, I realized it was an art form. I have 10-inch and 7-inch heels, and heel-less heels that are 6 inches and 8 inches.”

What started as a bold fashion choice quickly became part of his brand. High heels didn’t just elevate his walk, they elevated his artistic expression — and soon the public reinforced it. If Cromwell stepped outside without his heels, people would ask, “Are you OK?” as if something was wrong. It wasn’t just a statement anymore; it was an expectation.

“Birmingham made me comfortable in my own skin,” Cromwell said. “At this point, it’s not just something I do, it’s part of who I am.”

This look helped set him apart but, more importantly, reinforced his belief that modeling is about self-expression, first and foremost.

With a career that has already taken him around the globe, Cromwell is far from done. As he steps into his new role as COO of RxRunway and fully launches TAF, his focus is shifting toward empowering the next generation of creatives.

“I feel like God gave me [an assignment] to deepen what I want to do here in Birmingham, which is why I am the visionary behind [TAF],” he said. “It’s a task to try and provide space for opportunity connection.”

Humble Beginnings

Cromwell, a resident of Birmingham’s Titusville neighborhood, was born at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was an infant, his mother, Valita Marshall, moved to Newark, New Jersey, where Cromwell lived with his mom, his late grandmother, Johnita Marshall, and his big sister, Chi. The family lived in New Jersey for 10 years before relocating to Titusville, his mother’s and grandmother’s hometown, in 2011.

Cromwell attended Glen Iris Elementary on Birmingham’s Southside, William James Christian Middle School in the city’s Roebuck neighborhood, and Ramsay High School, also on the Southside.

“I was always considered a very bright but quiet child,” he recalled. “I was in the gifted program [because] people knew there was a lot inside me. But by the time I got to high school, I was bullied so much that I just wanted to have a voice. I didn’t want to bully back, but I wanted people to hear me when I said, ‘Leave me alone.’”

Cromwell used fashion as his voice.

“I developed in my style and what I wore. … As I put those clothes on, I started creating this different, more confident personality inside of me,” he said. “I guess the core of why I started playing with fashion was because in high school I was trying to express myself without hurting anybody else.”

Cromwell’s entry into the world of fashion was as much about lineage as it was about passion. He was raised in a home where creativity wasn’t just encouraged—it was inherited. In the 1990s, his mother was a dancer who performed behind celebrity acts. And in 1965, his grandmother was one of the first African American women from Alabama to get a center spread in Jet magazine.

Cromwell’s mother would sign him and his sister up for modeling opportunities. His early years in fashion, however, were spent behind the scenes, styling hair and helping during fashion shows and theater productions put on by Ramsay High School’s theater department and at several fashion-focused events in Birmingham.

“I’ve paid my dues in this industry, for sure,” Cromwell said. “I’d been working on fashion events in the city as a volunteer since I was 14 years old, doing anything from modeling to personal assisting, styling hair, managing models, sorting garments, cleaning up—you name it.”

A full-circle moment came for Cromwell when he went from being a volunteer at fashion benefits for Poze Bazaar Foundation Inc., a local creative arts nonprofit, to being its talent director.

“To have that shift in position is an honor,” he said. “It’s very rewarding, and it lets me know that my dedication to this cause of providing opportunities to artistic youth is noticed and appreciated.”

Local Runways to Global Stages

Cromwell’s talents have taken him from high school runways to global stages, which has fueled his passion for teaching. Working in other parts of the world changed his perspective “drastically,” he said.

“Considering that I had never gotten the opportunity to learn from anyone in [Birmingham] that had modeled in other parts of the world, I was able to see that what I had learned from mentors was sufficient,” he added. “In Milan and Paris, [workshop] students asked me how much they owed me and if they could continue working with me virtually as a model coach and mentor.”

Coaching his international students means ignoring the fact that he lives in the North American Central Time Zone, Cromwell said: “I had never interacted with someone that was seven or eight hours ahead of my time [zone] before. At 1 p.m. for me, it’s 9 p.m. [for them]. … It took some time to figure it out, but now I’m no stranger to waking up in the middle of the night for a coaching session.”

His experience in local fashion shows and creative events gave him a strong foundation in runway mechanics, production, and stage presence. What truly set him apart, though, was his ability to connect with models beyond technique.

“I’ve had models come to me after trying to break into the industry for 10 years, and I have models who are just starting out. Every model has a different hurdle to overcome, every model has a different goal they’re trying to reach. My job is to help them find their confidence and own their presence,” Cromwell said.

Modeling isn’t just about walking, it’s about presence, Cromwell said: “When you step onto that runway, everyone is watching because you have a certain energy, an aura. My job is to help models tap into that.”

For years, Cromwell questioned if the fashion industry had room for him. Now, he no longer asks for space—he makes it.

“I realized I don’t have to wait for space to be made, I can create it myself. Every opportunity I’ve had came because I stepped out, took a risk, and proved I belonged there—and that’s what I want to show other creatives. You don’t have to fit into a mold. You don’t have to follow a blueprint. If you don’t see a lane for yourself, build one,” Cromwell said.

To learn more about Royal Cromwell, visit his social media sites on Facebook (www.facebook.com/royalcromwell), Instagram (www.instagram.com/royalcromwell), and TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@royalcromwell).