Shabobs Darling: The Runway Is My Remedy
“Modeling has made my anxiety non existent and made me enjoy living.”
Text: VIONNE Magazine | Fashion Brand (1-2): Monee Couture
Photographer (3-5): Darryl Roberts | Model: Shabobs Darling
From the rooftops of LA to the red carpets of Miami, Shabobs Darling (born Shayla Richie) is redefining what it means to rise — not just in fashion, but in life. The 24-year-old model from Louisville, Kentucky has walked at Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and RX Runway Miami Swim Week, but her journey started far from the spotlight.
After being turned away from a modeling agency at 14 due to financial hurdles, she worked tirelessly — saving, believing, and finally launching her modeling career at 23. Since then, she’s been unstoppable. The photos capture both sides of her rise: one set from The Model Experience in LA, where she walked her second-ever runway wearing Monee Couture; the other from RX Runway’s Miami Swim Week, wearing a bold pink dress and glowing under the lens of photographer Darryl Roberts.
But behind the glamour is grit. Shabobs battled panic anxiety — even enduring a week-long panic attack just months before her debut. “Walking the runway gave me a new found confidence,” she shares. “It made me feel alive.” That confidence now fuels her to dream bigger, inspire others, and even plan a skydive.
With her first hometown show happening in Louisville, Shabobs Darling is not only walking runways — she’s walking proof that healing, joy, and boldness can coexist. And she’s only getting started.
Follow Shabobs Darling
Want more?
Read Issue #3 to discover more powerful stories and explore exclusive features, interviews, and fashion highlights.
Available now online & in print-on-demand.
