New York Fashion Week is in full swing, which means that glamorous runways, exclusive parties, and beautiful people will be featured nearly everywhere. You may notice after a while that a majority of the people participating in this event are essentially human Barbie dolls. While the fashion industry has made some strides recently regarding body positivity and inclusivity, the bubble of high-fashion seems to remain largely untouched by these advances. That being said, there are a couple of stories from this ongoing week that are challenging the definition of what it means to be a NYFW (New York Fashion Week) “It Girl” in some really awesome ways. They’ll have you cheering “YGG!” as you watch them work the runway as their beautiful selves.
Marian Avila is a 21-year-old model with down syndrome who was able to achieve her dream of walking the runway at NYFW this week. Designer, Talisha White, worked with the model to debut two looks during the show. After she walked, Avila said, “I felt really happy and I really loved the runway. I wanted to show the world that there are no barriers.” She has been putting hard work and practice in for years to achieve this goal and hopes to one day become an actress. According to the Associated Press, her story caught the designer’s attention over a Facebook post about her dream.
Another young model, Tay Mackenzie was featured in the same show in a wheelchair. Among these two newcomers, walked models young and old, including women who had previously been pageant queens. When asked about her show, White said that her mission has always been “to change the world one stitch at a time” and to empower women while doing it. She puts emphasis on the women wearing her designs with the hopes that people will realize that the common portrayal of the “ideal woman” isn’t all there is to beauty—it is present in everyone.
Another story is re-defining who high fashion is made for and calling attention to the need for adaptive clothing. The Runway of Dreams is a non-profit event supported by many different high-profile designers, including Tommy Hilfiger, Nike and Target. These companies are trying to “broaden the reach of mainstream adaptive clothing and to include people with disabilities in the fashion industry.” Founded by Mindy Scheier, who has a first-hand understanding of how hard it can be to find clothes that suit special needs through her experience with her son, who has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Her non-profit has been around since 2014 and has expanded its network and vision since then. They cater to people in every style, age and build. This was highlighted in their NYFW show this week where 30 models walked the stage, each wearing clothes designed for different special needs.
As entertaining as Fashion Week can be, it’s important to remember that there is still a lot of work to be done in the world of high fashion in terms of providing services to all instead of a select few. However, thanks to these strong women, that could all change sooner rather than later. Avila, White, Mackenzie and Scheier all prove that each of us has a unique inner “It Girl.”