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There aren't many 21-year-olds who know what it's like to have appeared on the cover of Vogue, worked with luxury brands like Gucci, written a book and be well-off enough to be able to buy their own home.
Despite being born with Down syndrome, Ellie Goldstein (21) is ticking all these boxes, breaking all barriers in the beauty industry and having fun at the same time. And the British model says being born with Down syndrome is the reason she's been able to do all of this.
“I like my funkiness and, well, let’s just say this: I am a bit of a cheeky person," she said in a recent interview with British Vogue. "My disability has taught me to be me and not be scared. Never give up and be who you are and smile all the way through life.”
Born in 2001 to parents Yvonne (59) and Mark (63), Ellie has soared through life with her disability.
“‘I do [see pushback], all the time. People out there are not pushing for inclusivity and we need more diversity,” she says.
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The Essex-born beauty is the first model with Down syndrome to work with international brands such as Gucci Beauty, Victoria’s Secret and Adidas.
“Diversity is very important. The industry seems to be getting better at using disabled models, but I think we are still a way off it being normal to see models like me,” she says.
She has taken the world by storm since 2020, appearing in Gucci's Unconventional Beauty campaign, on the cover of Italian Vogue and walking the catwalks at London Fashion Week.
But life hasn't always been easy for bubbly Ellie. Her parents have revealed that there was a time soon after her birth when doctors warned them that their daughter would never be able to walk and talk.
They say Ellie’s Down syndrome came as a surprise as prior to her birth, several antenatal scans had failed to detect any abnormalities.
Her mother, Yvonne, admits that she initially struggled to accept her daughter’s diagnosis and even to bond with her during those first few weeks.
“The way they (the medics) handled it, that we might want to give her up, made me nervous about getting close to Ellie," Yvonne recalls.
“I couldn’t really bond. I’d think: 'What’s the point of getting close? She’s not going to be here for long?' I was very confused about what it all meant. We were just told to read the leaflets, but they left me in no doubt it was bad” she says.
But today, Yvonne and Mark are Ellie’s biggest supporters. She is currently studying at a performing arts college and recently got to experience the thrill of moving in to a new house she bought in Essex, near her parents' home.
She was able to purchase the property thanks to what she's earned over the past three years in the modelling industry.
Ellie is proud of the part she's playing in shaking up people's perceptions of her condition, and she was happy to take centre stage when the first Barbie with Down syndrome was launched in April.
“When I saw the doll, I felt so emotional and proud,” Ellie wrote on Instagram.
READ MORE | Sofía Jirau makes history as Victoria’s Secret’s first Down syndrome model
“It means a lot to me that children will be able to play with the doll and learn that everyone is different. I am proud that Barbie chose me to show the dolls to the world. Diversity is important as people need to see more people like me out there in the world and not be hidden away. Barbie will help make this happen.”
The model is releasing a memoir called Against All Odds later this year.
“I feel really, really excited because I wanted to write the book to inspire people with disabilities around the world and help them. I am really proud and I love it," she says.
Ellie says she hopes her book will serve as an inspiration to others.
“Never give up on your hopes and dreams, be confident, be who you are and no matter what you do or where you are, be out there and go for it.”
SOURCES: Daily Mail UK, British Vogue, Vogue, Metro UK, Glamour UK , Instagram
