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Abigail Leigh Is the Florida Model Dior and Victoria Beckham Can’t Get Enough Of
MARCH 3, 2017 9:53 AM by JANELLE OKWODU
Tampa may not be a fashion capital, but the Gulf Coast city may have just given modeling its next great star. Abigail Leigh, an elegant newcomer with a penchant for John Green novels and Shrek cartoons, has been showing up in all the right places this season. Debuting with a spot at Victoria Beckham’s show, followed by turns at Altuzarra and Narciso Rodriguez, Leigh had a selective New York Fashion Week. But her biggest coup came today, courtesy of Dior. Walking down Maria Grazia Chiuri’s runway this morning, Leigh stood out amidst a cast filled with modeling’s current It girls. And while the relentless pace and 24/7 schedule of fashion month might be a lot for some rookies, Leigh is enjoying every minute of it. “[So far] it’s been a wonderful experience, and I love it!” she wrote from Paris via email. “It’s crazy, in a good way.”
Discovered by a makeup artist while waiting in a doctor’s office, Leigh was quickly signed to Wilhelmina Models and thrust into the spotlight. During her first week of shows, she was surprised by how much rigor goes into making the magic happen. “Fashion is not all fun and games; it’s hard work and a busy schedule, especially during show season,” says Leigh, who made fast friends with her model apartment roommates and the beauty and styling teams she met while backstage. “I’ve had so much fun working with everyone, but Victoria Beckham, Joe McKenna, and Piergiorgio Del Moro were super-fun. The whole team there was great to me.”
And while she’s already posed for some of the biggest names in the business, Leigh also hopes to collaborate with creatives in her age bracket, like teen photographer Sophia Wilson. “She’s 16 and has amazing work; she was super-nice and had some cool ideas,” says Leigh, who met Wilson at her agency’s pre–fashion month party with Google.
In the meantime, Leigh may just make some more appearances for Paris’s big guns during the remainder of the week—and has a slew of editorials booked afterward. Still, she’s already got her eyes set on her aspirations beyond fashion. “My biggest goal, in addition to modeling, is to be on Law & Order: SVU for an episode,” she says. “I love the show, and so many cool people have been on it!” Given that stars from Bradley Cooper to Jessica Chastain started out with a guest spot on that show, it’s a dream that could take her far. Watch this space.
http://www.vogue.com/article/paris-fashion-week-fall-2017-dior-model-abigail-leigh