Edgy new models are always popping up in the industry, whether they be alien-esque in nature or artificially altered. These days we are learning more and more every day that anything can be beautiful, even diseases and deformities. Things people were born with or tragedies suffered later in life can always take a surprising upturn, even result in a boomingly successful modeling career.
This spotted goddess is Chantelle Brown-Young, real name is Winnie Harlow, and although she was born and lives in Canada, her roots are firmly anchored in several parishes across Jamaica from where her parents originate. Chantelle was diagnosed with vitiligo at a young age; it is a skin autoimmune disease where the pigment is depleted. Normally, the color of hair, skin and eyes is determined by melanin. Vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning, resulting it white patches on the skin, hair, or eyes. The disease began to manifest when she was four years old. It first appeared on her stomach, then affected her face and hands. “Once people started making comments, I started to realize there’s something about me that’s not like everyone else,” Brown-Young says. “I was teased and called names.” After appearing on America’s Next Top Model, hosted by Tyra Banks, those teasing remarks seemed like a distant dream. “She’s absolutely beautiful,” Banks gushed during her visit to E! News. “We were looking [for contestants] and I just kept seeing this girl pop up, this beautiful, striking girl.” But instead of finding her through one of the show’s nationwide casting calls, Banks took it upon herself to recruit the Canadian native. “I reached out to her myself and told my team, ‘Find her! I want her here in a week.'” Banks even made an exception to her American-only contestant rule specifically to include her. Although Chantelle was booted off early in the season, she was brought back to the show by her enormous fan base, and then booted off again after traveling to Seoul, Korea.
A 25-year-old personal trainer and fitness model makes heads turn at New York Fashion Week as the only male amputee model to stride down the catwalk. Jack Eyers inspired millions by strutting his prosthetic leg down the runway and leading the way for many more amputee victims to follow. “To be the first male amputee model on a New York Fashion Week runway feels amazing,” he told Caters News. “I just want to show that having a disability doesn’t hold you back.” Eyers took part in the FTL Moda show showcasing designs by Antonio Urzi. The 25 year old said he was thrilled to be chosen for the show, which featured models with disabilities from around the world. While a great opportunity for all of the models featured, as a society, we are ready for disabled models to frequent catwalks with non-disabled models as well. Jack Eyers says, “I want people to see me, and to realize that there needs to be more disabled models walking the runway.” He has predominately sparked a lot of controversy in the industry. Eyers, who was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a condition which affected the growth of his right leg, chose to have that leg amputated at age 16, due to discomfort. The model, who was nominated for Men’s Health magazine’s Man of the Year, told Caters News that his appearance at NYFW shines a spotlight on the lack of people with disabilities walking the runway. However slow the trickle of new atypical models is, it is thankfully finally happening, and with the new acceptance into the industry more acceptance into society will follow.