Marian Avila, Model With Down Syndrome, Walks Runway At New York Fashion Week

It’s a dream for many to walk down New York Fashion Week‘s catwalks, and a 21-year-old model with down syndrome was able to achieve that dream on Saturday.

MODEL WITH DOWN SYNDROME WALKS NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

Marian Avila, who’s from Benidorm, Spain, became acquainted with the famous fashion designer Talisha White through social media. White wants to eliminate barriers that hold women back, and she admirably hosted a ballroom showing at a Midtown hotel to do so.

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Forty-three colorful outfits White designed were shown off by Avila and other models who have their own challenges. Avila donned two of White’s getups, one being a bold red gown and the other being a gold outfit that included a cape.

Speaking through a translator after the event, Avila said, “I felt really happy and I really loved the runway. I wanted to show the world that there are no barriers.” Moreover, she practices her modeling “every day” and she’s “studying modeling and to become an actress.” Avila’s parents and siblings accompanied her to the event, happily watching as she walked across the walkway.

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Speaking of Avila and the international attention she has garnered, White said, “She’s been a busy supermodel, meeting with all types of people. I’m very glad for her. She’s been meeting with Vogue. She’s been meeting with Harper’s Bazaar. She’s been meeting in different showrooms, different modeling agencies.”

When explaining her show, White expressed how she desired to demonstrate how “not just one type of girl is beautiful.” Continuing, the 25-year-old fashion designer explained, “I like to showcase all types of girls, from pageant girls to models in wheelchairs, models with Down syndrome, models who are 4 feet and told they can never be a model. They are my ‘it’ girl.”