A young model is making her debut at Ukraine Fashion Week despite never being able to walk. Alexandra Kutas, 21, lives her life in a wheelchair but insists her disability won't deter her dreams of becoming a model. The determined brunette, from Kiev, Ukraine, has been featured in a number of exhibitions and been invited to work as a hostess at Ukraine Fashion Week later this year. Alexandra hopes that by working the exclusive event it will open doors for a career in high-end fashion. As well as balancing her modelling career with her day job as a physiologist, she is also fighting for better facilities for wheelchair users.Alexandra, who suffered a spinal cord injury during birth, said: 'I was first interested in the idea of becoming a model when I was 16. 'I was spotted by a photographer when I was in a cafe one day and she invited me to do a shoot - I was so inspired and realised that modelling was what I wanted to do.' Alexandra adds that she hopes to use her position to change the landscape of the modelling industry for wheelchair users. 'Because of a birth injury I could never walk and have always been in wheelchair. 'But I'm hoping that Ukraine Fashion Week will be a chance to meet designers and voice my own concepts. 'I have so many ideas about using model with disabilities and I have an idea of how it should look.' This summer Alexandra was part of an exhibition called Break Your Chains by photographer Andrey Sarymsakov which aimed to highlight the stigma surrounding disabilities. She added: 'Ukraine is not very accessible for wheelchair users - I think if I became a model I would have a platform to help others too. 'I'm trying to contact different photographers to work with and make art, usually they are keen because it's something different. 'We also want to present Break Your Chains abroad. It is the first and only photo exhibition with a fashion model in a wheelchair in Ukraine.' During February's New York Fashion Week Italian design house FTL MODA enlisted a group of models with disability to showcase their clothing range. But despite progress for models with disability, Alexandra said many agencies have refused to work with her because of her wheelchair. She said: 'I started to write to different agencies and they replied saying I have beautiful photos but that they don't have work for a disabled model. 'I will continue to try - I'm determined to become a model and it's my dream to be on the catwalk at New York Fashion Week. 'One day I will make this happen and then others will be inspired too. No one can stand in my way.'
Mail Online
No comments:
Post a Comment