Down syndrome didn't stop her from being a model, and now a fashion designer

Australian model and designer Madeline Stuart, who has Down syndrome, is interviewed backstage before presenting creations from her label 21 Reasons Why By Madeline Stuart during New York Fashion Week in Manhattan, New York. Photos: Reuters

Less than two years after making her runway debut, Madeline Stuart, a model with Down syndrome, launched her own fashion label on Sunday (Feb 12) at New York Fashion Week with a collection of sporty leggings, crop tops and skirts.

The Australian-born model challenged fashion industry norms with her first catwalk appearance in 2015 and is credited with changing perceptions about people with Down syndrome. She hopes to do the same with her new label, 21 Reasons Why by Madeline Stuart.