Adorable two-year-old Eleanor Manton, diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth, is a new model, after being spotted by children’s clothing brand JoJo Maman Bébé’s scouts on her family’s Instagram page.
“We saw Helen, Eleanor’s mum, had tagged us in some photos on her Instagram. Helen takes great pictures and Eleanor is beautiful so we got in touch to see if they would like to take part in the campaign,” JoJo Maman Bébé told The Sun.
The company emailed Helen asking if Eleanor would be in the autumn/winter 2020 campaign and Helen said she was “ecstatic” and that she began “screaming and jumping for joy.”
“If children like Eleanor are seen in the fashion industry, it’s going to keep raising awareness,” she told the BBC, ” and when people see children like Eleanor it’s not a shock to them.”
A couple of days later, clothing arrived for Eleanor. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her parents served as her photographers. Her photos will be featured in the upcoming catalog. Helen’s husband Craig reportedly acted as “chief smile co-ordinator” while Helen snapped photos. Eleanor recognizes herself in the photographs and proudly says, “That’s me!”
This isn’t the first time Eleanor has been in the spotlight. In May 2020, a video of her walking unaided for the first time was viewed thousands of times on Facebook as people around the world cheered her on.
Here's Eleanor marching into the weekend…. look at that sass – no need for a walker for me anymore mummy, I just need cake (signing).
Posted by Positive About Down Syndrome on Friday, May 22, 2020
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the family has been staying home to shield Eleanor from the virus, and her mother said it has helped her to “really progress.” Her husband was furloughed so both of them have been home. “That’s the reason why Eleanor is progressing so much. She has interaction with us both all the time,” said Helen.
The family is looking forward to helping to raise awareness for Down syndrome and hoping that people begin to realize that Down syndrome is not something to be sorry or sad about. They hope other companies will follow JoJo Maman Bébé’s lead and become more inclusive.
“I just want to raise awareness, that she is just like any other little girl,” her mother explained, “and that having a child with Down[] syndrome is a positive thing, not a negative.”
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