The much-celebrated American lingerie and beauty brand Victoria’s Secret has recently launched its first model with Down’s syndrome, Sofia Jirau.
She hails from Puerto Rico and it was always her dream to be associated with the brand. She has formerly modelled for various brands in 2019 and walked the ramp at the New York Fashion Week in 2020. Besides being a model, she has also launched a campaign called ‘No Limits’, which aims to educate people about Down’s Syndrome.
The brand got her on board for the campaign of their new collection The Love Cloud alongside Hailey Bieber, Valentina Sampaio, Paloma Elsesser, and Adut and many more. Sofia also shared the delightful news with her followers on Instagram. “One day I dreamed it, I worked on it and today, it is a dream come true. I can finally tell you my big secret – I am the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome,” she wrote.
The company also shared a photograph of the model on Instagram, with a caption “By age 25, Puerto Rican model, Sofia Jirau, has already conquered her ultimate dream: to model on the most important runways in the world.
In 2019, Sofia launched the online store, Alavett, selling clothing, accessories, and home products”. The public was quick to respond and were immensely impressed with the brand’s move to include a model with Down syndrome.In an exclusive interview with NBC network Jirau said “I want to tell the whole world that people with my condition, Down’s syndrome, inside and out, we have no limits.”
“I’ll tell everyone to just dream. To dream, because every dream can come true… you have to work hard, you have to work very hard, and more.
My next dream is modelling in Europe, Paris and Italy,” she added. The collection marked “a crucial point in the brand’s evolution” and “an important aspect of the new Victoria’s Secret standard we are building,” according to Ral Martinez, the brand’s lead creative director. It’s part of Victoria’s Secret’s overall image change, which includes ditching the so-called “Angels” who formerly characterised the brand.
Blog By – Nishtha Nayyar