Sofia Jirau has always been about living life with “no limits.”
Recently, she blazed the trails when she became the first-ever Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome.
The 24-year-old Puerto Rican officially made history after joining 17 other dynamic women in promoting Love Cloud, the brand’s newest underwear collection centered around all-day comfort.
“One day I dreamt it, I worked at it and today it’s a dream come true. I can finally share my big secret,” Jirau wrote on her Instagram in Spanish, alongside a black and white photo of herself sporting a bra from the company. “I am the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome!”
Jirau joins a group of professional and non-professional models from all skin tones, sizes and ages. The campaign also features famous personalities such as Hailey Bieber and Adut Akech.
Jirau is also the second Puerto Rican model featured in a Victoria’s Secret campaign. Joan Smalls was the first supermodel to make her runway debut in 2011.
Jirau’s charismatic personality and infectious personality have helped her make a great leap since she began her modeling career in 2019.
She runs her own online store, “Alavett,” a Spanish-English play on the words “I love it,” Jirau’s favorite phrase. She sells everything, from wallets and shirts to phone covers and mugs printed in the signature brand name and with a heart doodle.
Jirau was one the few models with Down syndrome who walked in New York Fashion Week in February 2020.
“When I was little, I looked myself in the mirror and said, ‘I’m going to be a model and a businesswoman,’” she told PEOPLE magazine at the time.
She also launched “No Limits,” a Spanish-language campaign that aims to show that people with Down syndrome can achieve their goals despite their condition.
Down syndrome is a condition in which a person’s body has an extra chromosome. This causes changes in the brain and body. This could lead to both mental and physical problems.
“Thank you Victoria’s Secret for seeing me as a model who has #NoLimits and making me part of the inclusive Love Cloud Collection campaign,” Jirau wrote on Instagram. “Inside and out, there are no limits, Alavett!”
Jirau emphasizes in social media that her goal is for people to follow their dreams.
“I always say ‘Inside and out there are no limits’ to motivate people to break through their self-imposed limitations,” the model writes on her website.
Jirau joins the giant intimates retailer during a critical period, as the company has decided to part with its once-iconic Victoria’s Secret “Angels” in ongoing attempts to rebrand itself to appeal to all types of women.
The company indicated last summer that it would concentrate on creating lingerie that is suitable for women of all sizes and backgrounds. The “Angels,” the long-standing name for the brand’s supermodels, was dropped to make way for the “VS Collective,” an ambassador program featuring seven women known for their advocacies, including actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and soccer player Megan Rapinoe.
“When the world was changing, we were too slow to respond,” said Victoria’s Secret chief executive Martin Waters last year. “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want.”
The latest campaign is the brand’s first full-scale collection launch since Raúl Martinez assumed the head creative director role in January.
“Love Cloud Collection is a major moment in the brand’s evolution,” Martinez said in a statement. “From the cast of incredible women that bring the collection to life, to the incredible inclusive spirit on set, this campaign is an important part of the new Victoria’s Secret standard we are creating.”
Jirau posted a video of the campaign to Instagram before the collection hit the stores. In the video, Jirau can be seen wearing a pink bra.
“I love it, I love it. Victoria’s Secret, I love it!” she said.
Congratulations Sofia!
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