photo: Instagram/SofiaJirau

Fashion week is about a lot more than clothes. It's an opportunity to showcase diversity and bring to the forefront an array of different people. This year for New York Fashion Week, one designer took that task extremely seriously, casting a talented 22-year-old model with Down syndrome. That model's name is Sofia Jirau, and she's proof that you can do anything you put your mind to. 

Check out the powerful story ahead.

This is Sofia Jirau.

She's a 22-year-old Puerto Rican model living with Down syndrome, and as you can see, she's fabulous. She's fairly new to the industry, just getting her start in 2019 when she became a part of INprende agency, an agency that aims to represent clients like Sofia. She went on to model for designers like Kelvin Giovannie before meeting dress designer Marisa Santiago. 

That chance meeting with Santiago just landed her at NYFW.

Rocking one of Santiago's sparkly dresses, she strutted her stuff during one of fashion's biggest events. "One day I looked in the mirror and said, 'I'm going to be a model and I'm going to get to New York' and look, here I am," she said in an interview. "I made it and now I want to model worldwide," she said of the incredible experience. 

She absolutely rocked it. 

Receiving a round of applause, the beauty was the clear highlight of the show. "I want to continue modeling throughout the world," she says. Needless to say, we have no doubt that that's exactly what she'll do. 

Of course, her family was right there to experience it with her. 

Because who could really miss a moment like that. Surrounded by the love of her mom, dad, and three siblings, there was no shortage of support for the budding supermodel. "Thanks to my family for joining me in New York," she captioned a photo of her family. "I love you a lot, they are always in my heart."

There's no doubt that Jirau is going far! 

This girl has the chops to make it big in this industry, and pave the way for other women like her in the process. Not only are we hoping to see more models with Down syndrome on runways, we want to see more designers embracing diversity among their models. 

Sofia, you go, girl!