Sofia Jirau Is The First Victoria's Secret Model With Down Syndrome & Fans Are Loving It
She sees herself as a model "without limits."
Victoria's Secret just kicked off its post-"angel" era with new lingerie models, and Sofía Jirau might be the biggest star of them all.
The 24-year-old from Puerto Rico is the first person with Down syndrome to model for Victoria's Secret, and her new gig is winning her a ton of fans online.
Sure, she's modelling alongside the likes of Hailey Bieber, but Jirau is grabbing all the headlines with the new ad campaign.
The lingerie company's "Love Cloud" campaign includes Jirau and a diverse lineup of 17 other women. One model is in a wheelchair, another is pregnant and several of them are working professionals in other fields.
Victoria's Secret described the women who are part of its new campaign as being "from a myriad of backgrounds" and said the move reinforces the company's commitment to "welcoming and celebrating all women."
Jirau announced her role in the campaign on Valentine's Day in an Instagram post, but it's definitely not her first modelling gig. She's also walked the runways at New York Fashion Week, and her Instagram is full of professional pics.
Jirau also used the Instagram post to thank Victoria's Secret for seeing her as a model without limits.
The photo's Spanish caption reads: "One day I dreamed it, I worked for it and today it is a dream come true. I can finally tell you my big secret. I am the first Victoria's Secret model with Down syndrome!"
Many celebrated Jirau's Victoria's Secret role on social media, where they saw it as a big win for representation.
"This brings me so much joy! #representation matters so much!" said one user on Twitter.
"As long as Sofia Jirau has advocates ensuring she is not being exploited or taken advantage of (since having an intellectual disability might make her more vulnerable) then I think this is fine," said another.
"Finally, Victoria’s Secret follows brands like #Fenty by using models that more accurately represent the population," said broadcaster Jasmine Dotiwala.
The Love Cloud Collection is the first Victoria's Secret campaign under its new creative director, Raúl Martinez, who joined in January.
The company was once known for its lineup of thin supermodels called “Angels,” though it decided to drop that look as part of a major rebrand in 2021.