24-04-2025
Bath child model with Down's syndrome selected by Burberry
The parents of a seven-year-old boy who has Down's syndrome say his modelling success shows how children with the condition can do anything. Rio, from Bath in Somerset, is one of the faces of Burberry's Children's Summer 2025 campaign. He has previously modelled and appeared in adverts for several brands including Primark, Little Bird and is represented by inclusive modelling agency, Zebedee. Kimberley, his mum, said: "These kids can do amazing things, and it's not all doom and gloom; it's not scary; it's not something to be afraid of… they're just like everybody else and we just really want to tell and show everybody that."
She added that Rio's diagnosis came as "quite a shock" and the family did not know much about the condition. "Every piece of information we were given, or were researching online, was really negative," she said.
Along with Zebedee, Rio's family is striving to promote inclusivity in the fashion industry. "It's definitely improving, but it is something that all companies need to consider," Kimberley added that Rio may need adjustments when modelling, such as extra time to "get used to the camera" or additional instructions to help him."We just want to see more people with disabilities out there, whether it's Rio, or another model that has a disability or Down's syndrome, it's just really good to see that inclusivity," she said.
Sue Moore, Rio's client manager from the modelling agency, said the inclusion of people with disabilities is "huge"."We've got a lot of high street clients that are booking our talent quite regularly, but it is still quite hard to break into the luxury market."It's important to people with disabilities, especially children, because when they see themselves on screen it can be life changing."They feel valued, they feel accepted and it's not only them themselves, but also their families."
