This year, the fashion industry hit some milestones. For a long time, New York’s favorite week has been filled with models that look like they need to eat a burger once in awhile and models that have the same “look” (whatever that means?). Also, fashion shows have been “industry only” in the past. Yes, fashion week is still like that, but things are slowly evolving in a positive way. This year’s NYFW proved that fashion is for everyone. Here are three ways they broke the mold:Â
1. Increasing diversity on the runway is Madeline Stuart’s goal for the fashion industry. The 18-year-old who has Down Syndrome made her runway debut when she walked in the FTL Moda show this past week. Stuart rose to Internet fame when she shared model shots that her mother took of her last year after she lost 50 lbs. Now, the Australian native is trying to raise $20,000 by January of next year so that people with intellectual disabilities can take dance classes for free.   Â
3. People in the fashion industry have been the only ones that were allowed to go to the runway shows. The shows were always free, and by invitation only. But this year, some of the fashion shows were open to the pubic, meaning that if you bought a ticket, you were able to attend. Granted, the shows that were open to the pubic were emerging designers and charity shows, not Marc Jacobs. But, you can still say you have been to a fashion show! You can now check that off your bucket list.