marieclaire.com.au (^) | 35
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WOMEN LIVING FEARLESSLY AROUND THE GLOBE
A dazzling new image series
champions diversityBig-name photographers, spectacular styling
and experimental beauty looks ... the Radical
Beauty Project is just like any other major
fashion shoot, but this one features models
with Down syndrome. The brainchild of
artistic director Daniel Vais, it seeks to
challenge traditional beauty ideals and offer
visibility to a marginalised community.
There’s actress Sarah Gordy MBE (right),
resplendent in red sequins and photographed
by Zuzia Zawada. “The shoot was so raw,
natural and emotional, and Sarah filled the
room with positive energy,” says Zawada.
“The project says a lot about how quick – and
somewhat shallow – we are to judge beauty.”
Now, the images have been collated
into a coffee-table tome, and may become an
important piece of history given the decline
in Down syndrome (in Australia, abortions
after a positive test for the genetic disorder
are estimated to be between 80 and 90
per cent*). Zawada says, “I hope that
this project is not only a relic of history,
but the beginning of something special,
unifying people, making individuals with
an extra chromosome feel welcome, and
acknowledging their great talents.”Down syndrome
actress Sarah Gordy
strikes a pose.UK
RADICAL
BEAUTY