Jillian Mercado

Jillian Mercado is recognized for her enthusiasm and conversational nature. In less than two years, she has amassed recognition as a model living with muscular dystrophy and collaborated with numerous industry icons. Besides her modeling career, Mercado is an advocate for greater representation of physically disabled people in the industry. She has also ventured into acting and is known for her role in the Showtime series "The L Word: Generation Q."

Mercado's affinity for fashion began in her childhood, likely influenced by her parents, who were immigrants from Santiago, Dominican Republic, and initially worked in an embroidery factory and shoe store. She carried this passion into her education, studying merchandising management at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

Upon graduating from FIT, Mercado held various behind-the-scenes roles in the fashion industry. She worked with famed photographer Patrick McMullan, held a role at Tumblr, and later became the creative director of We the Urban magazine. Never having seriously considered a career in front of the camera, her modeling journey began when she submitted herself to an open call for Diesel with the encouragement of a friend. With a successful audition, Mercado started her modeling career and became a celebrated figure for her representation of the differently abled in fashion.

Mercado began to make waves in the industry and her career took off. She has starred in campaigns for prominent brands, including Olay, Bumble 100, Calvin Klein fragrance, Nordstrom, Target, and Tommy Hilfiger. In September 2018, Mercado made significant strides in her career by appearing on the cover of the first digital September issue of Teen Vogue. She has also been featured in various esteemed publications like Numero, The New York Times, Women's Health, InStyle, CR Fashion Book, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Glassbook, Jejune, and Herring and Herring magazine. In 2019, she was honored with the Flaunt It Award, recognizing celebrities who use their platforms to raise awareness about visible or invisible differences that have impacted their lives. In 2023, she was named to The Allure 2023 A-List, cementing her prominence in the industry.

Beyond her career highlights, Mercado has been actively involved in public speaking and participated in various summits as a disabilities advocate. She has engaged in numerous events, including Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine X Together Live Tour, Adweek's annual Women Trailblazers event, Little by Little in unison with the United Nations, and a panel discussing disability representation in media sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger and Microsoft. She has also expanded her creativity into filmmaking. Her short film, My Eyes Are Up Here, premiered at the Tribeca Festival. Mercado is writing an autobiography to share her story and inspire the next generation of women and individuals with disabilities.