Standing and on wheelchair models walking the same catwalk, during one of the most important fashion events, Milan Fashion Week. A dream? No, “Modelle & Rotelle” (“Models and Wheels”), a global concept event which, after Rome and New York, will get back to Milan on October 3rd, in the prestigious setting of UniCredit Pavillon, further enriching the Milan Fashion Week events schedule.
The event, organized by Fondazione Vertical to support the research on spinal injuries, has obtained the official recognition by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (National Chamber for Italian Fashion) and Comune di Milano (Milan Municipality).
“Modelle & Rotelle” isn’t just a “new way to interpret haute couture”, as we can read on the event official website. The event format, with standing models who will walk the catwalk together with others sitting on wheelchairs, has also a very strong symbolic value: including people with disability in all the fields of daily life, including a world, as fashion is, that’s generally linked to the concepts of aspirational beauty and physical perfection, diametrically opposed to the typical idea of disability, as a condition implying disadvantage, suffering and pain.
“Modelle & Rotelle” is extra proof (if such were needed) that a physical (even severe) disability doesn’t necessarily exclude the possibility, for who lives with it, to be and remain beauty, desirable and fashion. A strong answer to one of the hardest cultural barriers to overthrow, among so many that still surround the disabled people condition, with serious effects on their own life.
How to participate in “Modelle & Rotelle”? You have two options:
- participating in thecasting, filling the form that’s available on the event website
- requesting the inviteto the event, always through the official website
Are you interested in it? Hurry up, since time is running out! I’ve already requested my invite: hope to meet many of you there!
POST-EVENT update
Did you take part in “Modelle & Rotelle“as well? Should you have missed it, here you have a picture from the event, directly from its Instagram profile!