Jack Eyres To Become First Disabled Man To Model At New York Fashion Week

A British personal trainer will become the first male amputee model to strut his stuff on the catwalk when he takes part in Antonio Urzi’s New York show this week.

Jack Eyers, from Bournemouth, Dorset, was the personal choice of Urzi, who counts Beyonce and Lady Gaga among his A-list fans.

The 25-year-old, who had his right leg amputated at the age of 16, will fly out to the Big Apple this weekend and says he thinks the experience will be ‘amazing’.

”It all feels so surreal,’ said Mr Eyers. ‘I can’t believe this is actually happening. To be the first male amputee model on a New York Fashion Week runway feels amazing – it feels like such a big deal. the abs, the arms…

‘I have no idea what to expect, so it’s pretty overwhelming,’ he continued. ‘I just want to show that having a disability doesn’t need to hold you back.’

Mr Eyers will wear designs created by Urzi, a man whose work will be familiar to anyone who saw Lady Gaga during this year’s Born This Way tour.

The designer-to-the-stars has also seen his pieces embraced by the likes of Beyoncé and Britney Spears.

‘It’s amazing to think I’ll be wearing clothes designed by such a prestigious man,’ added an excited Mr Eyers. ‘I’m in good company.

‘I always said if I was going to do something like this, I want to do it big. I want people to see me, and to realise that there needs to be more disabled models walking the runway.’

Mr Eyers became an amputee at the age of 16, after having his right leg, which had been left withered by a condition called Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency, amputated

Fed up with constant trips to hospital, Mr Eyers opted for the amputation in the hope of finally being able to lead a normal life. 

‘Growing up with the deformed leg was really hard – I had no muscle structure or knee joint and I walked with a really pronounced limp.

‘At primary school I was really into sports but it was hard to join in, and I would get bullied.

‘I remember at the age of around seven saying I wanted to have it amputated but I needed to wait until it stopped growing – it felt like this devil attached to me. When I finally got it removed it felt like I’d been reborn.’

Finally rid of the leg that had caused him so much pain, Mr Eyers became a fitness fanatic, and started to look into a career in modelling.

He eventually came across Models of Diversity, a company that campaigns for more diversity within the modelling industry.

Signed on the spot, his career has gone from strength to strength, and was even crowned Men’s Health Magazine’s Man of the Year.

 ‘Once I’d had my leg amputated I started to gain confidence and went to the gym,’ he explains of his impressive career.

‘I initially wanted to join the fire service, but I soon realised that it just wouldn’t be possible as an amputee – so I looked at what else I could do and discovered personal training.’

‘I’d really got into the gym and fitness, and then I remember seeing an article about Models of Diversity in a magazine.

‘I went along to a photo shoot with them and everything has just snowballed from there.’

Mr Eyers has also appeared in campaigns for online fashion retailer Boohoo, as well as in advertisements for Tango and Barclays. He recently became the face of the charity, Scope.

His focus now, however, is on his ground-breaking appearance in New York. ‘The organisers of the New York show, FTL Moda, got in touch with Models of Diversity about me and the work I was doing, and after meeting with them, they offered me a chance to be in the show.

‘I could hardly believe it. It still doesn’t feel real, but I can’t wait to get out there and get stuck in. It’s such a massive step for me and the modelling industry.’

Speaking about his choice of model, designer Urzi, added: ‘For me it’s just an honour to be able to work on this amazing project.

‘We are so proud to have the opportunity to enhance the amazing skills of these professional Models of Diversity’s models.

‘My publicist and my team are constantly at work to create fashion in a unique and sophisticated way to be embraced from the people of the world.’

• For more information about Models of Diversity, visit modelsofdiversity.org. For more on FTL Moda, see ftlmoda.com.