Madeline Stuart is a globally-recognized supermodel with Down Syndrome that has changed the way the fashion industry views diversity. At just 22 years of age, Stuart has more than 1 million followers on social media.
She captured the world’s attention due to her weight loss journey that kickstarted her modeling career.
View this post on Instagram
When her mother posted a “before and after” photo of Madeline, it went viral, and within a few days, it had been viewed over 6.8 million times. Over the next few days, the girl hit headlines all over the globe with publications from Iceland, Germany, the US, Australia, Mexico, Cuba, and the UK.
On September 13, 2015, in New York City, Madeline Stuart, who was only 18 then, made her debut and walked the runway at Hendrik Vermeulen show during Spring 2016 New York Fashion Week at Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal.
She wore a stunning white gown with a metallic overlay on the bodice, as well as shiny and sheer separates, and shimmery blue face paint accented her looks.
Since then, she has walked at New York Fashion Week for 6 seasons in a row, so she claims it now feels like home when she is there. She feels comfortable and loves the experience.
In 2017, Forbes named her number one for Diversity in the Fashion Industry.
She adds that she is very proud of her feature in Forbes Magazine as the number 1 fashion game-changer for normalizing Down syndrome and getting her working Visa for the states, which made her the only person in history with an intellectual disability to achieve this.
According to her website, she sees Down Syndrome as a blessing that should be celebrated.
The Australian model attempts to change perceptions of Down Syndrome and to change the way people discriminate against disability by gaining attention via social media.
Her career is on the rise, and she has modeled in NY, London, Paris, Russia, Dubai, China, Uganda, LA, and Australia. She landed two major contracts, modeling in national ads for Manifesta, a fitness brand, and everMaya, an eco-friendly handbag label.
This Spring 2019 season alone, Madeline walked in 8 runway shows including House of ByField, Topping Designs, Burning Guitars, and Femata Couture.
Additionally, she debuted the third collection from her fashion line, 21 Reasons Why, and she will soon head to London and Paris Fashion Week for another marathon of shows.
Damian Graybelle, everMaya’s president, said that they are thrilled to work with such a talent, and their goal is to create a brand rooted in a spirit of inclusion and providing opportunities for those who begin life with barriers to success. The company even created “The Madeline,” a handbag named after her.
Madeline is a living proof that anything is possible when you believe in your dreams and work hard to achieve them.
She plans to continue modeling and hopes that one day, she will walk for amazing designers like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or Versace. Yet, she says that her biggest dream is to walk for Victoria’s Secret.
Sources:
www.awesomeideas.me
www.teenvogue.com
www.madelinestuartmodel.com
www.contiki.com
time.com
Comments