Model Citizen: Abiah Hostvedt
An incredibly chiseled face, sharp bone structure, mysterious eyes, and that slim physique…yes, we are talking about the one and only male model, Abiah Hostvedt. He’s been featured all over the European runways strutting for some of the most high-end fashion designers, like Givenchy, Marc by Marc Jacobs, DKNY, and 3.1 Phillip Lim. He’s even had cover stories in Vogue Hommes Japan, Dazed & Confused Magazine, and i-D. He’s been the face behind some of Urban Outfitter’s campaigns as well as Topman. Certainly, he has had his fair share of modeling gigs since making his mark in the industry. This Jamaican born model dawns a face you will never forget. His unique look and avant-garde editorials are unlike any other. But how exactly did all this success come his way?
Abiah Hostvedt has been signed to Elite Models London since the inauguration of their men’s section in July of 2010. He was scouted in Manhattan, as many models are. In an interview with www.ftape.com, he let the public in to see some of his personal side. He says some of his hobbies include writing lyrics, playing basketball, and going for walks. He is big on independent films, but no so big on male grooming products. As we can see in each of his ads, he favors a much more natural look. He has a wide taste in music, saying that if you were to look through his iPod you would find artists like Bob Marley, to Young Money, to Maroon 5. His guilty pleasures include late 2 am dinners. His absolute dream country to visit would be Costa Rica, and when asked to describe himself in one word, he said “complex.”
Today, Abiah is also signed with Red Model Management located in New York City. When in Paris, he works with Ford Paris, which has worked with some very big names in the industry like Bella Hadid. Abiah even travels to Milan and Italy often to work with ILOVEMODELS Agency and The Mandpmodels Agency. If someone at the age of 19 can land as many modeling gigs as Abiah Hostvedt, are there really any boundaries for any of us? Having grown up in Jamaica, Abiah is proof that people of color can pursue any of their dreams with dedication and perseverance. He has made such good use of all the opportunities offered to him through top modeling cities throughout the United States. Abiah is just another example that goes to show that despite the fact that people of color may often times be suppressed in the fashion and modeling world, you should never let that hold you back. And who knows? You may even be walking the runway of Givenchy, just like this one-of-a-kind male model has done himself.
Take a look for yourself at some of Hostvedt’s work!
