Disabled Models

Angelica and Matilde Aureli, twin models with albinism

Shaholly Ayers, a congenital amputee

The British Fashion Council (BFC) published its first DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) Census of the UK fashion industry last month. The BFC promotes British fashion and supports the sector to export, grow and, by its own definition, innovate. The data showed that of the 1,529 survey participants, only 6% identified as disabled, with 94% identifying as non-disabled, or at least, not disabled right now. It’s a statistic that is out of sync with the UK population, which has 16 million disabled people; one in every six. So, why is fashion so under-populated with disabled people? Or do they not feel safe, comfortable or supported to acknowledge their disability?

Nyle DiMarco, a deaf model

Hendra Raud, model with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

Terence Munzemba, a model with vitiligo

Lauren Wasser, an amputee and survivor of toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

Emily Barker (they/them), a model with paraplegia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), for Otherness Magazine

Xueli Abbing, a model with albinism, photographed by Gemmy Woud-Binnendijk

Nina Marker, an autistic model, V Magazine

Tamera McLaughlin, a model with achondroplasia dwarfism, for Savage X Fenty