By: Clea Thomas
In today’s society, we find it more entertaining and enjoyable to break all of the old beauty fads. We attempt to make it a standard that people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and everything in between are beautiful and we show them their own beauty. Madeline Stuart broke down an untouched barrier, and she will continue to be a successful icon and an inspirational role model. She took her situation and pushed it to the side to pursue her dream. She is the first ever professional adult model with down syndrome.
Maddy attended a fashion parade in 2014. She showed a special interest in wanting to be in the spotlight on the catwalk. It was there when her mother, Rosanne Stuart, knew her daughter was going to aspire to do something extraordinary.
Rosanne helped Madeline maintain a healthy eating schedule and diet, along with exercising through dance, cheer, and swim. It is often a struggle for patients with Down Syndrome to lose weight and keep a strict diet, however Madeline broke the trend. She had lost over 40 pounds within nine months.
Stuart was finally ready for her first photoshoot. The mother-daughter duo set off to meet the professional photographer. They were beyond ecstatic; her mother was thrilled to participate in such an amazing event in her daughter’s life, however she pondered on how Madeline would enjoy the experience. Dreaming about it is on the different end of the spectrum of actually doing it. In the end, Maddy loved it and the within the following week, when the pictures were ready, her mom knew that her daughter was setting herself on a pathway for success.
A Facebook page was then created for Madeline and she went viral. The world was able to see her beauty. The pictures that were posted lighted a spark of hope and inspiration for all children living with Down Syndrome: she helped people believe they can achieve anything that they put their minds to.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg. She has since been the face of a cosmetic company called GlossiGirl. There has also been a line of bags named after her, “The Madeline” by EverMaya, a company who donates to the National Down Syndrome Society. In more recent days, she had modeled in New York Fashion Week, this past September. In addition to her career success, she has been in the eye for many famous awards. She is currently up for the honor for Pride of Australia and also the Young Australian of the Year Award. Madeline will be given the honor of being Model of the Year Award at Melange, in San Francisco.
She has paved herself a career and can support herself with it. Madeline is the first ever professional adult model with this disability! Through her modeling she has reached out and achieved so much in such little time. It’s people like Madeline who change the world. She isn’t just a model or she isn’t just a girl from Australia or a girl with down Syndrome, but she’s a leader for everyone to look at the world in an entirely new way. She has a great life ahead of her and the world is excited to see what else she is going to achieve. Madeline Stuart is an icon of beauty and success, and she has truly erased a standard of beauty.