The fashion industry has long been criticized for its lack of diversity when it comes to the models walking the runways, but 2015's fall/winter New York Fashion Week displayed a radical change.
Models in wheelchairs and amputees strutted their stuff for FTL Moda's presentation showing designs by Antonio Urzi. Among them was a Jack Eyers, a 25-year-old personal trainer who modeled rolled-up trousers short enough to show off his prosthetic leg.
“I never thought I could ever be a model,” Eyers told BBC in a 2014 interview.
Born with a rare condition called proximal femoral focal deficiency, Eyers had his right leg amputated when he was 16. Now, the 6'2 U.K. native is a spokesperson for Models of Diversity, a London-based campaign that pushes for more variety in the modeling industry.
Almost 80 percent of the models that showed off the fall/winter collections during New York Fashion Week in 2014 were white, a number that didn’t demonstrate much change from 2008, Jezebel reported.
Like models of colors, those with disabilities are also underrepresented in the world of fashion, making Eyers a hopeful catalyst for change.
“I just want to show that having a disability doesn't need to hold you back,” Eyers told Caters News in a press release. “I want people to see me, and to realize that there needs to be more disabled models walking the runway."
Watch his interview with BBC below, and please SHARE this motivational story to help inspire those you know!
