全文檢索
Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 24th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2021> Australian Fashion Icon with Down Syndrome—Madeline Stuart
 Australian Fashion Icon with Down Syndrome—Madeline Stuart
A model with disability and beauty

“If you never believe you can succeed, then how can other believe in you?” —Madeline Stuart
 
The world’s first model with Down Syndrome
 
Madeline Stuart is a model like no other. She has over a million followers on social media, her own fashion brand—21 reasons why, and a founder of a dance school for people with disabilities.
Stuart was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at a young age. Doctors said her intelligence and cognitive function would stay at around 7 years old, meaning she would not amount to anything significant in her life.
Yet in 2015, she proved her doubters wrong by showcasing her talent at an Australian fashion show, and her career only took off from there. She then became the model for brands such as Diesel, Aldo Group, Weetbix and others.
She was also featured on magazine and newspapers like Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times, Washington Post and others.
Stuart had participated in over 103 fashion shows, and has been a social advocate for people with disabilities.
Through determination, hard work and courage, Stuart has turned her disability into her calling card. Becoming an model with such condition is unthinkable for most people, but Stuart is willing to break conventional understandings, and prove to the world that even the most unfortunate people can find meaningful employment and fulfill their dreams.
 
        Power of Love
 
        Stuart’s success cannot do without the help of her mother. She didn’t know anything about Down Syndrome before Stuart was born, but she didn’t abandon her disabled daughter despite the hardship she was willing to go into.
        Stuart’s mother gave all the love and support she could for her daughter. And despite the heart problems Stuart experienced throughout her childhood, the mother stayed by her side, so Stuart’s childhood was still full of hope and happiness.
        This love eventually translated into Stuart’s venture into the fashion world. In 2015, Stuart and her mother attended their first fashion parade in Australia. The experience made Stuart more confident, beautiful and stunning. It was that time that Stuart made up her mind to become a fashion model.
        However, being a person with Down Syndrome, Stuart need to have a strong and healthy body to succeed in the fashion world. So she began exercising and dieting, which helped shed over 20 kilograms of body weight.
        Her effort was shared on social media and Stuart instantly became a sweetheart of the world. Her photos were viewed by over 6.8 million people, and this allowed her to receive an invitation to showcase her talent in the New York Fashion Week in 2016. To Stuart, this was a dream come true.
 
        Fashion icon
 
        The New York Fashion Week was the event where Stuart’s modeling career took off. She then went to London, Paris, Dubai, Los Angeles and many other fashion centers of the world. She broke the stereotypes of what a person with Down Syndrome can achieve, and she has worked hard to make the fashion industry more inclusive.
        To do so, she built a non-profit dancing school dedicated to disabled people. In this school, not only students get to learn about dancing, but also other life skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership and self-awareness. Stuart would also take her students on tour around the country.
        To raise awareness for Down Syndrome patients, Stuart started her own fashion brand called 21 reasons, which is a play on word since Down Syndrome is caused by genetic anomaly at a person’s 21 chromosome. The meaning behind the brand is that no matter the illness, there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic and loving of life.
        Stuart said it is her aspiration to spread love and confidence to people of all ages and ethnicities. Due to her devotion to this noble cause, she became the first disabled person to receive a working visa from the United States.
        This visa was not only a milestone in Stuart’s career, it was also a recognition of her hard work and aspiration. Despite her condition, Stuart has been working tirelessly for her school and brand. Although many people has discriminated against her, she did not let their negative comments go into her head and just keep going forward.
        Stuart eventually received hundreds of awards, as well as support from dozens of non-profit organizations.
        However, in December 2018, Stuart’s heart condition deteriorated again, and she needed another surgery to repair her swollen heart. The procedure was successful, but the following complications have incapacitated her for weeks.
        During her recovery, her condition worsened again. This time doctors couldn’t repair her heart, and Stuart may have to live with a pacemaker for the rest of her life.
        Fortunately, after 28 days, Stuart’s condition improved, and she could return to a normal life, teaching people and building her brand to promote awareness for the disabled.
        Stuart’s life may have its ups and downs, but her strong will and determination to be different have made her stand out from the rest. She doesn’t want to just fight for her place on Earth, but also fight for all those who suffer the same tragic faith, and want to show them an alternative.
        She is the embodiment of positive energy, and she will keep trying to make the world a better place.