Girl with down syndrome in bikini

Madeline Stuart is an year-old girl with Down syndrome, currently living in Brisbane, Australia. As an athlete who enjoys participating in activities like gymnastics and cheerleading, she's always loved the spotlight. So once Maddy began styling her own outfits , she begged her mom to play photographer before she headed out the door. Needless to say, the result of those photo shoots is pretty flawless. Maddy can work floral-print dresses just as well as she can a quirky pair of leggings, and she totally knows just what bikini shade works best to complement her hair color.

There's an aspiring model getting a lot of attention on social media. Australian teenager Madeline Stuart, 18, has all of the makings: gorgeous flowing red hair, pouty lips, and a bikini body. This girl also happens to have something that's rare in the modeling world: Down syndrome. Madeline, who's had weight issues common among people with Down syndrome, got in shape last year by eating better, swimming, cheerleading, hip-hop dancing, and cricket training with the Special Olympics, reports The Daily Mail. In fact, Maddy is a member of Bust a Move, a hip-hop dance program for teens and young adults with disability that will perform at the Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles in July. After she lost more than 40 pounds, she proceeded to inform her mother that she wanted to model. As mom Rosanne said, "She loves the attention when she is up on stage, doing a play, or competing in gymnastics or cheer, and I have always taken millions of photos of her so she loves the camera.

Your account is not active. We have sent an email to the address you provided with an activation link. Check your inbox, and click on the link to activate your account. Her story is making headlines and winning support because of one little difference, however — Maddy has Down syndrome.

Making it as a model can be a cut-throat business but Madeline Stuart is doing well by any standards. The striking year-old redhead has more than catwalk shows under her belt, along with ads for brands like Diesel. At London and New York Fashion Weeks this season she walked for 18 designers including Tommy Hilfiger, at one point handing out high-fives to her admirers in the front row.