Ellie Goldstein is the first model with Down syndrome for Gucci
In life you can become anything you want, you just have to believe in it. To confirm that this is not just a cliché, thinks Ellie Goldstein, the model with Down syndrome who in these days has fulfilled her lifelong dream: the eighteen year old originally from the county of Essex, north of London, she will be the first model with trisomy 21 to pose for Gucci and appear in the pages of Vogue Italia.
His is a story of freedom
Ellie will lend her face for the beauty campaign of a mascara and her photo posted on the brand's Instagram profile has already received thousands of acclaim, including likes and super enthusiastic comments. Alessandro Michele himself, avant-garde stylist and creative director of the Florentine maison, commented on the choice, explaining why it fell precisely on Ellie: "I designed L’Obscur mascara for an authentic person who uses makeup to tell their story of freedom, in their own way".
And Ellie's “story of freedom” tells of a girl of extraordinary beauty who has overcome barriers and prejudices and, after years spent between casting and shooting, has finally reaped the fruit of what was sown.
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A determined girl
The girl, in fact, is not new to the environment. It all began three years ago, when she began working with an agency for models with disabilities. It didn't take long before Ellie was noticed and hired by some brands like Nike and Vodafone, but her biggest aspiration was high fashion. No sooner said than done. With perseverance, determination and confidence, Ellie managed to reach this milestone as well.
However, the life of this young and promising supermodel is not limited to the catwalks, but continues among the university benches. Ellie is enrolled in the performing arts faculty at Redbridge college and her second dream is to graduate.
The words of the mayor of Florence
The mayor of Florence Dario Nardella also thinks about congratulating the model and showing her all his support. The mayor commented on the news with these words: “I am happy and proud that Gucci, the maison that has roots and a productive heart in Florence, chooses Ellie Goldstein for its campaign. An intelligent and strong message: disability is not and will never be a limit. Chapeau! "
Something is finally changing in the fashion system
Ellie is not the first model with Down syndrome to break into the fashion world. Leading the way was Australian Madeline Stuart who walked the runway for Victoria's Secret in 2018, effectively changing the rules on the catwalks and revolutionizing the concept of beauty to make it as inclusive as possible. In their uniqueness, these new faces say goodbye to an obsolete concept of fashion and open the doors of the fashion system to a future in which the value of diversity is recognized, understood as a strength and certainly not a stigma.
