Down Syndrome Model Madeline Stuart Appears in Emotional Wedding Campaign

Madeline Stuart made waves in the fashion industry after she decided at a young age she wanted to be a model. Stuart’s first professionally-taken photos went viral and soon she found herself in New York. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, the red-head walked New York Fashion Week twice and headed major campaigns, including Manifesta, a fitness brand, and everMaya, an eco-friendly handbag label.

Stuart is the second person with Down syndrome to walk in New York Fashion Week and considered the world’s first professional model with Down syndrome.

Now Stuart is making waves again appearing in a romantic, fairytale wedding shoot by photographer Sarah Houston at a popular venue in Virginia.

Fans of Stuart were understandably emotional when the photos came out, to which Stuart responded on Facebook, “Shoot people it’s just a modelline (sic) job, how are you going to feel when I actually get married one day. He He He.”

In the shoot, she is seen wearing three different wedding dress designs while walking through the Rixley House. The idea for the shoot came from the manor’s owner, Isadora Martin-Dye, according to Refinery29, who wanted to do something different for a promotional shoot that usually populates wedding venue websites.

“People think about their wedding their whole lives. When you actually get engaged, all you see are pictures of these perfect serene, skinny women. And while it helps build a brand, it also just builds that wedding myth,” she told Refinery29 in an email.

The 19-year-old model is only at the beginning of her modeling career, and we expect more big things to come her way.