Sofía Jirau is making historical past within the modeling world. The 25-year-old girl from Puerto Rico is likely one of the latest fashions for Victoria's Secret — and is the primary mannequin within the firm's historical past to have Down syndrome.
Jirau introduced her new function on Instagram this week, writing in Spanish that it's "a dream come true." Jirau is modeling for the model's Love Cloud assortment.
"There aren't any limits," she wrote, including her favourite phrase and life motto, "Alavett!", that means "I like it!"
The Love Cloud marketing campaign is modeled by 18 girls who defy the normal pictures that Victoria's Secret and different manufacturers have historically included of their advertisements. Together with Jirau, their marketing campaign additionally contains Miriam Blanco, who's paraplegic, Sylvia Kwon, who's pregnant, and Celilo Miles, a Nez Perce Tribe-Wildland firefighter.
Jirau made her modeling debut in 2019, and has additionally modeled at New York Style Week in February 2020, saying on her web site that she is proud to be one of many few fashions who've Down syndrome to have the ability to take part within the occasion.
She has additionally launched a worldwide marketing campaign to boost consciousness about Down syndrome. The marketing campaign, referred to as Sin Limites, or No Limits, is an effort to indicate how Jirau and others with Down syndrome are capable of accomplish their objectives regardless of any day by day challenges they could face, together with points similar to an absence of accessible jobs, impartial housing and a extra inclusive academic system.
"For me, a very powerful factor about fulfilling my desires is to indicate individuals world wide that there aren't any limits and to encourage them to pursue their very own desires," she says on her web site. "This is the reason I at all times say 'Inside and outside there aren't any limits' to inspire individuals to interrupt by means of their self-imposed limitations."
Victoria's Secret introduced the debut of their new assortment on Valentine's Day, with Raúl Martinez, the top inventive director, saying it marks a "main second within the model's revolution."
"From the solid of unbelievable girls that convey the gathering to life, to the unbelievable inclusive spirit on set, this marketing campaign is a vital a part of the brand new Victoria's Secret commonplace we're creating," Martinez mentioned.