It has been a whirlwind month for Madeline Stuart, who went from rubbing shoulders with Eva Longoria to celebrating her 21st birthday on a sailboat in the Gold Coast.
The Australian model with Down syndrome strutted her stuff down the catwalk for the Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Fashion Show in Denver, Colorado.
Madeline was a guest of honour at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s star-studded event, receiving the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy award.
Australian model Madeline Stuart (pictured) was a guest of honour at Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s star-studded event, receiving the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy award
She rubbed shoulder with fellow recipient Eva Longoria, smiling together at the ceremony (both pictured together)
And Madeline got to spend some time with Quincy Jones himself at the gala, which raised a record $2.6million for the foundation
Madeline’s mother told Daily Mail Australia that Jamie Foxx put on a private concert the night before the fashion show, and spent the whole night dancing with Madeline
Also at the event, which raised a record $2.6million for the foundation, was Marisa Tomei, Joe Manganiello, Matt Dillon, and Jamie Foxx.
Madeline’s mother told Daily Mail Australia that Jamie put on a private concert before the fashion show, and spent the whole night dancing with Madeline.
But the gala was even more special for the model, as she had spent months ‘vigorously’ preparing for her big speech.
‘Madeline has minimum speech, and actually went to speech therapy three months before the award ceremony so she could do her own speech,’ Rosanne Stuart said.
‘She talked about how we are all equal, we are all one, she just said that everyone was beautiful and everyone was the same.’
Rosanne said it was an ‘amazing’ moment and that Madeline was ‘so proud’.
Madeline walked at the fundraiser’s Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Fashion Show, showcasing the walk that has repeatedly landed her gigs at New York Fashion Week
The fashion show was a special event for the model, as she had spent months preparing for her big speech
Madeline, who has minimum speech, went to speech therapy for three months to prepare
Madeline pictured on the runway in New York earlier this year
‘She’s worked so hard these last two and a half years, and it was so beautiful for her to feel that all her work was being recognised.’
But the very next day Madeline was already asking her mum when she could go home, as she was so excited to celebrate her birthday on the Gold Coast.
‘She waited to celebrate back home with her boyfriend and all her friends that she’s grown up with,’ Rosanne said.
Madeline and 30 of her friends spent the day on Sailing in Paradise, a Catamaran on the Gold Coast.
‘Oh she was so excited,’ Rosanne said. ‘She talked about it the whole time, even before we went to Denver she was telling me how she’s coming home for her birthday.’
‘She misses her friends and her boyfriend a lot when she travels.’
But the very next day Madeline was already asking her mum when she could go home, as she was so excited to celebrate her 21st birthday on the Gold Coast
Madeline and 30 of her friends spent the day on Sailing in Paradise, a Catamaran on the Gold Coast over the weekend
Madeline happily danced with her friends on the boat as she celebrated another year
The guest of honour happily received applause from her friends before enjoying her cake
But the trips will only continue for the busy model, who walked in her fifth season of New York Fashion Week and launched her clothing label 21 Reasons Why this year.
Madeline is headed for Switzerland next, where she will take part in a TED talk on December 2, and then she will head to Canada and China to show her collection.
‘She will continue walking in fashion shows around the world, and also hopefully her documentary that’s been filmed for the last two years will be released globally next year,’ Rosanne added.
Rosanne said it was wonderful to see Madeline continue to make a name for herself in the fashion world.
‘Quite often you’ll see people with disabilities, they go viral and then they disappear,’ she said.
‘But after two years, Madeline isn’t slowing down. She isn’t going away, which is a wonderful thing for diversity.’
Madeline’s mother said it was important for her to celebrate her birthday at home, as she often misses her friends and boyfriend when she travels
Madeline is headed for Switzerland next, where she will take part in a TED talk on December 2, and then she will head to Canada and China to show her collection