For Abigail King, a successful catalogue model with a portfolio spanning Gap, Nike, H&M, and Levi’s, the journey is less about glamour and more about grit, discipline, and a deep-rooted connection to her home, Saint Lucia.
The Unlikely Start
Modeling was never on the list for Abigail. She was studying Liberal Arts at McGill University, graduating at the top of her class with distinction and becoming a Rhodes Scholarship finalist. Her entry into modeling was pure chance.
“When I got scouted, I thought, ‘Well… why not?'” she recalls. “I was a full-time student and modeling was just my side hustle with better lighting.”
But the true bedrock of her confidence was family support back home.
“My mother has always supported my delusions—and honestly, that alone will always carry me.”
This from a highly respected engineer in a family of doctors, scholars, and business leaders.
After being scouted by a New York agent, Abigail signed with a Montreal agency. London became her breakthrough—her client roster exploded as she worked across Europe. Her first US job came fast after moving from London.
“I flew in from Sweden, immediately turned around to shoot in Turks and Caicos, then rushed to LA for my first US booking,” she remembers. “It was an international campaign. I was thrilled, proud, and honestly a little stunned.”
That client still books her regularly—in an industry notorious for moving on, that says everything.
Body Image and Influence
Abigail’s career has given her perspective on the fashion industry’s complicated relationship with body image and diversity.
“I’m a woman—my body looks different every single day—and the industry can be just as moody,” she reflects. “Over time I learned that my body isn’t a trend or a measurement; it’s my home.”
She maintains balance through sustainable self-care habits—what she calls “gentle rigidity.”
“I want to feel strong, healthy, and grounded—not just booked.”
On diversity, she observes a troubling trend.
“Diversity doesn’t feel ‘cool’ to many brands at the moment, and the pullback is showing up in stark ways,” she notes. “Fashion is political. Representation isn’t just aesthetic; it signals who is valued and who is visible.”
When women across America see her modeling clothes, she’s part of how they imagine themselves.
“When I first started modeling in Canada, I lived in a city where very few people looked like me. That was a huge culture shock,” she recalls. “There are so many women who rarely see themselves in narratives tied to beauty and desirability. I was one of them.”
She understands the images she creates influence how women see themselves.
“If my work gives even one woman the sense that she belongs, then I’ve made an impact. That impact matters.”
The Full-Circle Moment
Among the many brands she’s worked with, Gap holds a special place.
“Growing up, Gap felt aspirational,” she reflects.
She recounts a memory from age six in London—seeing a massive mosaic-style Gap billboard.
“That was the first time I understood how photography and representation could shape culture.”
To now work with Gap Studios as a recurring model feels full-circle—from the child who admired the billboard to the woman whose image contributes to campaigns.
But her biggest milestone isn’t a specific job. It’s the shared success with her community.
“A friend of a friend saw me on a billboard abroad, recognized me, and sent it home,” she says. “Since then, it’s become a pattern. Our community is small, but it’s everywhere. Every time another Saint Lucian spots me and sends that joy back home, I’m reminded that my success isn’t solitary. It’s shared.”
The Ambassador
Despite the excitement of Los Angeles, Abigail is perpetually homesick.
“I’ll drive an hour each way for a good roti,” she says. “The joy of being served by someone with a West Indian accent calling me ‘Auntie’—those little things make a big difference.”
This longing for home is intertwined with profound duty.
“My biggest and favourite flex is that I am from Saint Lucia,” she declares. “I am an ambassador for St. Lucia. I’m proud of that and I do not take it lightly. I am many people’s first impression of our nation.”
She believes Saint Lucian values—charm, hard work, warmth, and kindness—are her greatest assets.
“Isn’t that what Lucians do? Charm, hard work, warmth and kindness goes such a long way.”
She describes leaving the house for groceries and ending up at her aunt’s—no notice, just hours of connection and a guaranteed full belly.
“To me, that’s good life. That’s community. And I haven’t found it anywhere else in the world.”
For young Saint Lucian women aspiring to international careers, she offers encouragement and reality.
“Growing up in Saint Lucia—a place shaped by strong women—gave me a foundation you can’t buy,” she says. “We’re a land of matriarchs. That taught me to trust my gut and stay focused.”
An international career takes grit. You’ll miss moments back home, but you’ll discover strength that will carry you anywhere.
“It can get lonely and scary. People won’t always be kind. You must learn to back yourself.”
The Future
Modeling may be a young person’s game, but Abigail is building a life designed for longevity.
“Modeling isn’t my first chapter and it won’t be my last.”
She’s working on projects in wellness, movement, storytelling, and business. Education is central—not just formal degrees, but continuous learning.
Her greatest role models are her grandmothers Anne and Lera—strong-willed women with audacious commitment to family, work, and legacy.
Her maternal grandmother Anne left everything she knew to move to Saint Lucia, dedicating her life to family and her work as an English literature teacher.
“She planted the roots of a tree that continues to bloom, and I feel deep responsibility in carrying that legacy forward.”
Her paternal grandmother Lera was a formidable entrepreneur who built businesses designed to endure. Together, they showed her that legacy is not inherited passively; it is built deliberately.
When asked where she sees herself in five years, her answer is grounded.
“I’m focused on where I’ll be in five weeks: at home with my mummy, drinking her sorrel and eating her corn pie. Five years from now, I just hope I’m happy, healthy and living in my purpose.”
Her advice to her younger self?
“Relax—you’re going to be fine. Trust your instincts, stop doubting yourself, and don’t let anyone dim your magic.”
It’s advice she still gives herself today.
What keeps her grounded: her foundation is strong. What keeps her moving forward: her vision is big.
Abigail King’s journey reminds us that success is about carrying your roots with you, using your platform to inspire others, and understanding that the greatest achievements are shared with the community that made you.
She is a global model, but first and foremost, she is a proud Saint Lucian. And that is her favorite flex of all.