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The Australian-born model challenged fashion industry norms
with her first catwalk appearance in 2015 and is credited with
changing perceptions about people with Down syndrome. She hopes
to do the same with her new label, 21 Reasons Why by Madeline
Stuart.
Wearing blue patterned leggings, Stuart kicked off the packed
show that featured casual looks designed for comfort and ease.
She paired short flared skirts with long and shirt-sleeve crop
tops and T-shirts that could be mixed and matched with dark and
patterned leggings.
"It really does represent who she is," Roseanne Stuart,
Madeline's mother, manager and design collaborator, said about
the collection that will be sold exclusively online.
The collection's name is a nod to Stuart turning 21 this year
and the extra copy of chromosome 21 that is characteristic of
Down syndrome.
The genetic disorder that affects development occurs in about
one in 700 births, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. About 6,000 babies are born with Down
syndrome in the United States each year.
Since first stepping on the runway, the Brisbane-based model has
not looked back and has appeared in fashion shows around the
globe. After walking in two other shows in New York, she is
heading to Paris and then Los Angeles and other U.S. cities
before returning to Australia in late April.
Stuart, whose speech is limited, wanted to be a model
immediately after seeing her first fashion show in Australia.
"Madeline has never had the concept that she can't achieve
anything," her mother said in an interview, adding that after
four seasons modeling in New York, she had shown her staying
power.
Sara Hart Weir, president of the National Down Syndrome Society,
believes Stuart has been an inspiration for others like her and
has raised the expectations of people who have never met someone
with the condition.
"By debuting her own fashion line and becoming a businesswoman,
she is showing other individuals with Down syndrome that is it
OK to have your own hopes and aspirations," she said.
"The expectations for children with Down syndrome are higher
than ever," she added.
(Editing by Peter Cooney)
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