Sofia Jirau has made history lately by being the first Victoria’s Secret model to have Down Syndrome. She will appear with Celilo Miles, Devyn Garcia, and Paloma Elsesser in the brand’s forthcoming inclusive Love Cloud Collection ad. The model announced the news on Instagram and thanked her admirers for their support:
“I dreamt of it one day, worked on it, and now it’s a reality.” Can I finally reveal my major secret to you? I am the very first Victoria’s Secret model to have Down syndrome! Thank you for always believing in me and my initiatives. Thank you to @victoriassecret for recognizing me as a #NoLimits model and included me in the Love Cloud Collection inclusiveness campaign.”
Jirau made headlines for being one of the rare models with Down Syndrome to walk in New York Fashion Week 2020.
All you need to know about Sofia Jirau
Sofia Jirau is a model, businesswoman, and social media influencer from the United States. She recently made headlines in the fashion business when she became the first model with Down Syndrome to appear in Victoria’s Secret advertisement. In 2019, the 25-year-old founded her clothing and accessories brand, Alavert. Her brand’s name is taken from her favorite English phrase, “I adore it.”
Jirau and a few other models with Down Syndrome debuted in New York Fashion Week in 2020. She posted on social media at the time:
“I am honored to be one of the few models with Down syndrome who was able to attend this significant fashion show.” Modeling in the United States was the first step toward realizing a goal I’d had since I was a child.”
Since she was five years old, the businesswoman told Remezcla, she aspired to be a model and entrepreneur. Jirau also offered her perspective on having “no bounds” in life:
“I’ll be traveling all over the globe.” There’s nothing to be afraid of. There are no boundaries between inside and outside. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
When asked about her struggles, the model said that she draws inspiration by staring in the mirror:
“When I look in the mirror, I get strength.”
Armando Lorenzo, another volunteer on Jirau’s team, expressed similar concerns to the publication:
“Sofia has no concept of obstacles or boundaries.” She views everything as a chance to demonstrate that she has [what it takes]. She has no idea how to respond since we strive to keep such terms out of her lexicon so she knows she can do everything she puts her mind to… as she has up until now.”
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Jirau was born on March 26, 1996, according to her website, and made her runway debut in 2019 on her twenty-third birthday. She went through months of diction, dance, and modeling instruction before being mentored by Benjamin Diaz. Sofia Jirau, in addition to her modeling career and business success, has amassed a sizable social media following, with approximately 170K followers on Instagram.
