Meet Sofía Jirau, the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome

A Puerto Rican mannequin has turn into the primary lady with Down syndrome to be featured in a Victoria’s Secret marketing campaign.

Sofía Jirau, 25, is one in all 18 girls showing in commercials for the model’s new “Love Cloud” assortment, launched on Valentine’s Day.

“In the future I dreamed of it, I labored on it and right this moment it's a dream come true. I can lastly let you know my massive secret . . . I'm the primary Victoria’s Secret mannequin with Down syndrome,” Jirau excitedly introduced in an Instagram publish she shared along with her 204,000 followers on Monday.

Jirau kickstarted her modeling profession in Puerto Rico in 2019. The identical 12 months, she launched her personal profitable on-line style retailer, Alavett. (Alavett, or “I find it irresistible,” is Jirau’s favourite phrase, in keeping with the positioning.)

Sofía Jirau, 25, is featured within the new Victoria’s Secret “Love Cloud” marketing campaign. She is the primary lady with Down syndrome to mannequin for the model.

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In February 2020 — only a month earlier than the COVID-19 outbreak shut down the world — Jirau made her debut at New York Style Week.

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A publish shared by Sofía Jirau (@sofiajirau)

Jirau kickstarted her modeling profession in 2019 and has turn into a well-liked determine on social media.

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The mannequin and entrepreneur boasts greater than 200,000 followers on Instagram. She runs a profitable on-line style retailer and campaigns to lift consciousness about Down syndrome.

Instagram/@sofiajirau

Her profession continued to thrive through the pandemic, as she gained a big social media following. She created her personal “No Limits” marketing campaign in a bid to lift consciousness about Down syndrome, which finally caught the attention of Victoria’s Secret execs.

The lingerie model has come underneath hearth in recent times, going through accusations it's “exclusionary.” Actress Jameela Jamil branded it as a “transphobic, fat-phobic firm . . . that units out to exclude most girls.” Soccer star Megan Rapinoe stated the model as soon as had a message that was “patriarchal and sexist.”

The corporate is in search of a radical rebranding, and just lately tapped Anna Wintour’s “right-hand man” Raúl Martinez as its new artistic director.

The Puerto Rican mannequin regularly shares snaps of herself posing in skimpy bikinis.

Instagram/@sofiajirau

Jirau joined 17 different numerous girls for the “Love Cloud” marketing campaign. Victoria’s Secret’s new artistic director hailed the “inclusive spirit” on set.

Instagram/@sofiajirau

The “Love Cloud” marketing campaign — that includes Jirau — is Martinez’s first main undertaking for Victoria’s Secret.

In a press release, Martinez hailed the “inclusive spirit” on the set of the marketing campaign.

Along with Jirau, the marketing campaign consists of fashions of numerous backgrounds and all completely different sizes and shapes. It additionally encompasses a lady with grey hair and a lady posing on crutches.