Just weeks after her triumphant return to the catwalk at New York Fashion Week, Madeline Stuart is now the star of a beautiful bridal photo shoot.
The 18 year old, who is one of the first professional models with Down’s Syndrome, wears three different dramatic wedding gowns in the images. Shot by photographer Sarah Houston, the images were taken at Ridley House in Virginia, a popular location for weddings.
With full skirts, lace detailing and Kate Middleton-esque veils, the dresses modelled by Madeline are straight out of a fairy tale.
Madeline took to Instagram to share a selection of images from the shoot, including a close-up wedding-style snap with a male model – captioned ‘Just a photo shoot guys’ to clear up any confusion amongst her followers.
She’s been widely hailed as challenging conventional beauty standards, and Maddie’s Instagram posts gained plenty of praise from her followers. One commenter wrote ‘You’re an inspiration and my hero; keep it up!’ while another added ‘I truly hope YOU know just how beautiful YOU are. Best wishes for a beautiful life.’
Earlier we wrote...
Madeline Stuart hit the headlines in 2015 when she became the second model with Down’s Syndrome to take to the catwalk at New York Fashion Week. After stealing the show last year, Madeline has made a triumphant return to the runway, appearing in the FTL Moda show at the Angel Orsensaz Foundation in Manhattan.
The 19-year-old modelled an ornate purple and gold strapless gown by American designer Josefa Da Silva, a wintery white fur ensemble by Dutch brand Lulu te Gigi and a long-sleeved skater dress in white lace.
The fashion industry has long been criticised for failing to present diversity on the catwalk, so Madeline’s success can be seen as a small step towards presenting more inclusive notions of beauty. For her mother Rosanne, this second appearance at NYFW is a major moment in Madeline’s fledgling career. ‘I think today is cementing her in the industry. She isn’t just a one-hit wonder who walked in New York Fashion Week once […] She’s a model now,’ she told The Mighty.
Speaking to the Daily Mail earlier this year, Ms. Stuart explained that Madeline has been treated no differently to other models, adding ‘If she gets a lot of attention, it’s amazing because we can speak to the world about inclusion and diversity. In a way, if she doesn’t get as much attention it means it’s becoming the norm. It’s a win either way.’
Earlier we wrote...
Madeline Stuart, an 18-year-old Australian model, made history yesterday becoming the second model with Down syndrome to ever walk at New York Fashion Week.
Modelling for designer FTL Moda, Madeline wowed crowds by taking to the catwalk a total of three times, hi-fiving audience members on her first walk, as she rocked an embellished one-shouldered white couture gown.
At the show's finale, Madeline's mother Rosanne, walked the runway with her – and gave her a massive hug at the end to loud applause.
"I think it is time people realised that people with Down syndrome can be sexy and beautiful," she told Daily Mail Australia last month, adding: ''We will only continue doing this as long as Maddy is happy doing this. It's only what makes Maddy happy that's important."
Last month we reported how Maddy revealed the news – via Instagram, writing: "Guess who is modelling in NY for NY fashion week."
Madeline used her Facebook profile to start building her modelling career, and now she has over 100,000 followers. She is following in the footsteps of Jamie Brewer who was the first ever model with Down Syndrome to walk the runway in New York in February.
When Madeline met Jamie, Rosanne commented to Cosmopolitan: "It was great. She's a lovely young lady. She's very high-functioning, a lot higher functioning than Maddy. She's just beautiful. I don't think I've ever met someone with Down syndrome who isn't beautiful.
"They just have the most amazing personalities. She was so excited to meet Maddy; she'd been following her on Twitter for months. One of the first people to follow Madeline on Twitter was that supermodel Karlie Kloss. Isn't that amazing?
"The thing I'd like people to take away from this,' she continued, 'is to not discriminate. Don't judge a book by its cover. I would just like people to accept, love, and show kindness. That's all this is about for us. The modeling is fun and everything, but it's just a vehicle to get the message out. I think that's why she's done so well."
See you at London Fashion Week too, Maddy?