Home / Arts and Entertainment / Girl's Disability Fashion Campaign Lands Her on Billboard
Girl's Disability Fashion Campaign Lands Her on Billboard
22 Oct
Summary
- A 12-year-old girl was surprised with her own billboard to promote disability representation.
- The billboard was organized by the Bristol Fashion Show, a collective supporting overlooked individuals.
- She hopes to see more disabled people and adaptive equipment normalized in fashion shows.
A 12-year-old girl's impactful campaign for greater disability representation in fashion has culminated in a surprise billboard featuring her image. Carmela Chillery-Watson, who resides in Dorset and lives with a progressive muscle-wasting condition, was astonished to see herself on a billboard in Bristol, an initiative organized by the Bristol Fashion Show. This volunteer-run collective aims to provide a platform for individuals frequently overlooked by the fashion industry. Carmela, a participant with the show since age five, expressed her delight and reiterated her vision for fashion to embrace individuals of all abilities. She hopes to see a future where wheelchairs and walkers are commonplace on catwalks.
The Bristol Fashion Show, founded in 2012, has consistently championed inclusivity by considering factors such as age, disability, and background. Organizers have challenged their designers this year to create outfits specifically for individuals with disabilities, working directly with the models. Carmela's mother shared that Carmela's early aspirations to model were met with rejection, prompting her to seek out inclusive platforms like the Bristol Fashion Show. The upcoming show on November 1st will raise funds for Cure4Carmela, a family initiative supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK, a cause Carmela has actively fundraised for.
