Woman Becomes First Model With Down Syndrome To Land Beauty Campaign

Beauty & Pin Ups

In a world first, a woman with Down syndrome has just become the new face of a cosmetics brand.

In an unprecedented move in the cosmetics industry, Katie Meade, from Iowa, was recently revealed as the face of hair-care brand, Beauty & Pin-Ups.

Meade, was styled as a pin-up model for the retro photo shoot and appears on the packaging for the company’s new product – Fearless Hair Rescue Masque.

Meade told TODAY the experience was something she’ll never forget:

It was amazing, it was fun trying on clothes and getting ready for the photos. I felt so special! It was really cool to feel like a true model – I’m very proud of myself.

“She’s just an incredible person,” said Kenny Kahn, CEO of Beauty & Pin-Ups.

He also said that the brand wants to ‘pay homage to the pin-up, with a retro twist’ and added:

It was important to us to build a brand that mattered, that stood for something.

But this isn’t Katie’s first inspirational achievement.

She has overcome heart surgery, won a gold medal in the Paralympic Games and is a spokesperson for Best Buddies International – an organisation that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities meet friends and find employment opportunities.

“She is a very special person and it comes across in her photos,” Kahn said. “She represents not just hope; she represents reality.”

Wikimedia

And it sounds like the feeling is mutual as Katie has described the brand as being ‘like family’:

They make me feel welcome and loved. They have given me opportunities to show the world that people with disabilities like beauty and fashion, and like to look good like everyone else.

We couldn’t agree more.

UNILAD