Down Syndrome Model Sofía Jirau Is The Face For Victoria's Secret's New Collection

Feb 24, 2022

We all are born with our own unique gifts that set us apart from the rest of the world. The story of Sofía Jirau is about a woman discovering her amazing talents and the rest of the world taking notice. At 26 years of age, Jirau is changing the world by simply being herself. Growing up, Jirau had to learn the ins and outs of being unique as she has Down syndrome, a chromosomal defect that can delay intellectual and physiological development. But Jirau hasn't let that diagnosis stop her from following her dreams and becoming a high fashion model.

Sofía Jirau was born on March 26, 1996, and is the second eldest of four children. She started working as a model exactly on her 23rd birthday in 2019 when she made her debut during New York's Fashion Week. Her debut was well-received by fashion critics and reporters all over the world with articles appearing in fashion magazines such as Vogue.

Her success even gave her the opportunity to create her own clothing and accessories brand, Allavet. 

This rising star is inspiring the world over, proving that being born with Down's syndrome doesn't mean you cannot achieve your wildest dreams.

Jirau was born in Puerto Rico, and it was during her childhood there that she decided she wanted to be a model, as reported here by Hola!

With over 85,000 followers, Jirau is already becoming a star on social media. In February 2022, she made world history as the first model with Down syndrome to become a Victoria's Secret model.

Read on to find out more about this exceptional woman and how she accomplished her dream.

It was her runway appearance at the famed New York Fashion Week, where she modeled for dressmaker Maria Santiago, which elevated her to fame. 

After the show, Jirau expressed her happiness at having achieved her dream. She was finally doing what she knew she was born to do. She also appreciated the positive reaction from the audience, who applauded the rising star. The fact that she did all this with Down Syndrome made it even more impressive.

Drown Syndrome is one of the most common genetic disorders worldwide. In recent studies, it is estimated that about 1 in 1000 babies each year worldwide are born with Down Syndrome variants. In the U.S., the National Drown Syndrome Society (NDSS) states that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even 1 in 700 babies each year are born with it.

The exact cause of this wildly spread genetic disorder is not yet known. As far as science knows today, Down Syndrome is not a hereditary disorder. Almost all Down Syndrome children are born to parents possessing the usual amount of chromosomes, and only 1% of known cases have been passed down from one parent.

One thing scientists can say for certain is that an expecting mother's age affects the chance of a child being born with Down Syndrome. According to the NDSS, a 35-year-old woman has roughly a 1:350 chance of giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome. By the time of age 49, the theoretical chance is 1 in 10. Since more and more couples are opting to have children later in life, Down Syndrome cases have also been on the rise over the last years.

Jirau is one of the examples of somebody born with Down Syndrome living a fulfilling and successful life.

Her profile has been further expanded by her "Alavett" line of clothes and accessories, all of which contain her signature heart branding. The name comes from her pronunciation of "I love it," which is the enthusiastic response she always loves to give.

Everything she does follows her personal motto: "Inside and out there are no limits." Jirau strives to educate others about Down Syndrome and to make people realize that fulfilling their dreams is possible if they work hard at them.

Her most recent career success came in February 2022, when Victoria's Secret went public with their new fashion line called "Love Cloud." The fashion line centers around comfy underwear for women, and Jirau was chosen as one of the faces for their campaign. Posing in one of the signature bras of the line, Jirau's expressive picture, captured in black and white, quickly made the headlines of fashion magazines worldwide.

While Down Syndrome cannot be cured with today's medicine, it is not an insurmountable problem. Children born with it experience physical and mental growth delays, developing more slowly than a child without the chromosome variant would. Every child and case of Down Syndrome is also different from all others, which means there is a wide range of possible symptoms and development stages. Many go on to hold down steady jobs and can live independently, although most of them still require help managing their finances.

Jirau is one of the examples of people born with Down Syndrome who are able to go on and pursue their dreams in life. 

Jirau's experience has reinforced her belief that there are no limits in life and we can all accomplish our goals. This is a message we could all be reminded about now and then, so be sure your friends and family check this out.