Beauty standards get redefined every day – yes, there are still strange trends like BBL or buccal fat removal. Thankfully, the need for representation is being recognized and a lot people get to see someone that looks like them walking the runway and posing on magazine covers. Ellie Goldstein, a model with Down syndrome, is a perfect example of that – the 21-year-old’s smile is winning the hearts of internauts and fashion designers all over the world.
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21-year-old Ellie is a model that redefines beauty standards
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Ellie was born on a cold day in December, 2001. Prior to her birth, all tests and scans showed no anomaly, so doctors and her parents were shocked to discover that Ellie had Down’s syndrome and heart problems that required lifesaving surgery. This came as a huge shock to her mum, Yvonne, who initially struggled to bond with baby Ellie, so for the first few weeks, her dad Mark took care of her, changing nappies, soothing her to sleep and getting in those baby cuddles. He told Yvonne “We’ll take it one day at a time” and they did.
Doctors told the new mom that she might want to give her baby up, which made her quite nervous about getting close to Ellie. “I couldn’t really bond. I’d think: “What’s the point of getting close? She’s not going to be here for long,” she told in an interview. Doctors didn’t give Ellie’s parents any hope. But her maternal instincts took over when little Ellie began responding to her parents with a gummy smile.
Yvonne struggled to look at her daughter’s face that had tell-tale signs of Down’s features, but soon she recognized how uniquely beautiful her new daughter was. So beautiful, she would soon grace numerous covers of fashion magazines, such as Elle and Glamour and even the legendary Vogue.
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
When she was born, doctors told her parents she would "never walk or talk"
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
“I’ll never forget the doctor who marched into my room after the birth holding her up and saying: 'This is Ellie, she’s got Down’s syndrome. She won’t walk or talk. She won’t go to university'," her mom recalled the fear-filled first days of Ellie’s life. I wonder what those doctors think of it now, seeing Ellie thriving.
With the help of her parents, Ellie battled illness and survived a difficult heart surgery. By her third birthday, she was already speaking in sentences, and by the time she was ready to attend school, she could go to mainstream state school. Little Ellie learned to read thanks to her love of Topsy And Tim books. Unfortunately, school wasn’t just sunshine and rainbows. Children were inclusive, but the parents and even the headteacher weren’t fond of Ellie, which prompted her parents to look into special needs schools.
“We’d looked around some of the special needs schools and the children just weren’t as able as Ellie, so we knew it was better for her to be around kids she could look up to and copy their behaviors,” Yvonne recalled.
With the help of her family, she proved everyone wrong - now she has a successful career
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
She published a book, posed on the cover of Vogue and even collected the keys to her very own home
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Ellie struggled with math – a horrible subject, if I may say so – but by the time she was 11, an assessment showed that she had a reading age of 18. She successfully progressed to secondary school – that’s when her parents explained to her that she had Down’s. Yvonne was very worried how it would affect Ellie – she loved seeing her daughter looking in the mirror and saying, “I’m perfect”.
At the suggestion of the school’s counsellor, Ellie’s parents got her a picture book about Down’s syndrome. Ellie looked at it thoroughly and told her mom “I don’t look like that. I’m me.” Now that’s a beautiful sentiment – everyone is different, and we should all strive to be able to look in the mirror and say “I don’t have to look like anybody. I’m me”.
Her further academic journey was troubled, as she received no support. But there was a silver lining – her modelling career began at the same time. Her mom’s friend suggested they contact Zabedee, an inclusive talent agency that represents people with disabilities and visible differences. Ellie attended a trial photoshoot that went well – so well that she was added to the agency’s books in 2016.
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Her positive outlook on life brightens every room she walks in
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Eight months after her initial signing, Ellie was featured in Superdrug’s Christmas advert. After that followed a photoshoot with Gucci – the post attracted over 7000 comments. Most of them were kind and supportive but of course there were some nasty trolls who weren’t taught the golden rule “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”.
Despite her incredible achievements, Ellie is not as independent as most 21-year-olds; that’s why her mom steps in and never lets her leave the house without her parents or her sister. She even accompanies her on dates: “She loves the boys,” the mom teased her daughter.
A modelling career can be a vulnerable place for anyone, especially a young woman with Down’s. Yvonne keeps a close eye on Ellie’s Instagram account, deleting any inappropriate messages. No one is safe from the creeps!
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"She won’t walk or talk. She won’t go to university.” Guess what? On top of her career, Ellie also attends college
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and most importantly, it has to shine from within
Image credits: elliejg16_zebedeemodel
Ellie’s parents don’t know whether she will ever be able to live alone, but they encouraged her to buy her own home. At 21, she is a proud owner of a home in Essex – bought with her own money she earned from modelling assignments. Her own home is a perfect place to rest and relax after a grueling day at college – Ellie is studying arts on top of her job. “I’d like to tell that to the doctor who said I’d never walk or talk!” Ellie proudly talks about her achievements.
Ellie’s story is a shining example that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and that no one can stop a determined person. After all, when we think of models, we think of someone who looks stunning in high fashion outfits and has a smile as bright as the sun – Ellie sure does.
Hopefully, in the future, we will see more representation of different beauty standards. For now, when you feel bad about yourself, remember Ellie’s words: “I don’t look like them. I’m me!”
People in the comments were cheering for the young model
