Madeline Stuart

Madeline Stuart is an Australian model recognized as the world's first professional model with Down syndrome. Stuart was born with a heart defect and underwent open-heart surgery at eight weeks old. Like many individuals with Down syndrome, she faced challenges with her weight and later pursued a healthier lifestyle, which included a focus on dance. After sharing her transformation on social media, Stuart gained significant attention and a large following.

Stuart has appeared on the catwalk at New York Fashion Week and has walked in Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Runway Dubai, Russian Fashion Week, and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week China, among others. She has participated in more than 100 fashion shows globally, including eight consecutive seasons at New York Fashion Week. Her early achievements led to modeling contracts with brands such as Manifesta and everMaya. Stuart has collaborated with brands including Diesel, Aldo Group, Tommy Hilfiger, and Modcloth. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Marie Claire, People, Paper, Cosmopolitan, and the New York Times.

Stuart is the only person with an intellectual disability to obtain a working visa in the United States and was the first person with Down syndrome to appear in a Vogue editorial and to serve as the face of a cosmetic company in the country. She launched her own fashion label, "21 Reasons Why," named for the 21st chromosome associated with Down syndrome. Forbes recognized Stuart for her impact on diversity in the fashion industry, and she has been named among the top 25 Gen Z game changers and received the Impact 25 Award for her influence in Australia.

Stuart has received nominations for the Pride of Australia and Young Australian of the Year Award, and has been awarded the Model of the Year Award at the international fashion show Melange in San Francisco, as well as Model of the Year by World Fashion Media. She has received an Advocacy Award for her work in Uganda from KultureCity and the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award from Global Down Syndrome. Beyond modeling, Stuart advocates for disability rights and founded Inside Outside Dance in Brisbane to support young people with disabilities in dance. She also participates in the Special Olympic Games while maintaining her modeling career. Through her work, Stuart has contributed to advancing inclusion and diversity in the fashion industry and beyond.