A model student on and off the runway
Many people talk the talk, but Abe Eborn walks the walk — on the runway.
Eborn, a sophomore at Utah State University, just got back to her normal life in Logan after modeling in three different shows at New York Fashion Week.
Life in Logan is very different from the high-stress environment she experienced backstage at shows. In New York, she had one hour to completely change her appearance between runways. In Logan, she spends her Friday nights working at the Depot, a convenience store in the Taggart Student Center, where no costume changes are necessary.
In New York, Eborn’s hair was used as a shirt. In the TSC, her waist-length red hair is pulled back.
Starting off her modeling career here in Utah, Eborn’s dream has been to attend New York Fashion Week as a model for many years. When the opportunity to participate in Fashion Week as a model arose, Eborn leaped at the chance and sent in her applications.
Eborn said she applied for eight shows in New York. She ended up walking for three.
According to Eborn, she is a “unique model.”
“I have a long face, and that is one of my marketable traits because it is different from most models,” Eborn said.
Eborn indicated more and more agencies and runway shows are looking for unique models to represent their brands.
“You do not have to fit into the stereotypical model status of the 90s-2000s,” Eborn said. “Fashion is becoming more and more inclusive to all body types.”
Eborn strives to market her personality. She adds to her social media using things she enjoys or cares about, to show who she really is.
She is an activist for many causes. Her favorite show she walked for at New York Fashion week was Fashion Week Black, a show to support black-owned businesses. It was here that she had the opportunity to model for her favorite designer from that week, Christian Colorado, who is “up and coming,” according to Eborn.
She also advocates for mental health awareness and positive body image. Eborn strives to illustrate that she is more than the sum of her parts.
Yet, according to Eborn, though the fashion industry is becoming more inclusive, there are still many taxing demands on models.
“If you’re a model, you should definitely get a therapist because modeling is very high demand mentally and physically,” Eborn said.
Eborn has experienced anxiety, ADHD and depression throughout her career. Yet, she finds that when she gets on the runway she finds her bliss by experiencing her passion.
“When I get on the runway I usually forget everything,” Eborn said. “Being in high-stress environments are really good for my ADHD and anxiety. I become very productive in those situations.”
Eborn advocates for mental health awareness in the modeling industry and in life. Developing her own coping mechanisms has allowed her to follow her passion all the way to New York Fashion Week from Logan.
“I like picking and choosing what I put on my plate,” Eborn said.
Prioritizing her passions and health has allowed Eborn to elevate her life. She acknowledges that due to therapy she has been able to discover what is most important to her, allowing her to find success in her multifaceted lifestyle.
Eborn has many different plans long-term, and hopes to continue modeling as long as she is able to find shows and catalogues she’s interested in. She also has ambitious career and academic goals, though she likes to keep her major a secret.
“It’s just a more interesting conversation starter,” she said. Eborn hints that her career goals are pulling her back to New York, but, for now, she finds she likes her routines in Logan.
She starts her mornings with time to lay in bed to feel well-rested, then answers her emails and direct messages. Her go-to breakfast consists of eggs and toast. She fills her days with classes and work, and the occasional Just Dance party with her roommates, a seemingly universal pass-time for activist models and other girls alike.
Eborn suggests the best way to represent fashion is by being yourself. One’s personality, experience and dreams are what makes humanity unique and beautiful.
Though she does not currently have any gigs, she is one the lookout for new opportunities and suggests to all of her peers that they keep an out of for Abe Eborn.
Photo by Bailey Rigby