Dozens of models with Down syndrome strutted down a catwalk in Bucharest, Romania, for an evening celebrating style, “atypical beauty” and courage as the country marked World Down Syndrome Day on March 21.
The event, the SEEN Anonymous Seamstresses Gala, was held at the Romexpo center and brought together designers from across Romania. Organizers said the garments were created for young people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities as part of a celebration meant to put participants in the spotlight.
Down Plus Association Bucharest president Georgeta Bucur, who organized the gathering, said 50 seamstresses each created a costume for a youngster they had never met. Bucur said the costumes were made without anyone trying them on beforehand, adding that the most important part was bringing the people together again.
“This event is really special … it’s the most beautiful thing that could happen,” Bucur said.
For 19-year-old Antonia Voicu, taking the stage was a personal milestone. Wearing a puffy green netted dress and a crown of red roses, Voicu said the runway felt like a dream and that she was not nervous, telling event organizers that she “always” liked being fashionable and posing.
Her caretaker, Diana Negres, described the show as “a big step,” saying it was Antonia’s first time on stage. Negres said the event gave Antonia the chance she had always dreamed of—parading on stage—adding that they did not do preparation and that everything would be spontaneous.
Cristina Bucur, a seamstress and one of the organizers, said the idea for the fashion show came from having a child with a disability. She said she wanted other children to see what it is like to wear a costume during a fashion show and be cheered on stage, saying participants enjoyed it because they saw that someone looked at them and did something for them.
Romania’s Down Syndrome Day observances align with an international effort established by the United Nations General Assembly: it declared March 21 as the official day of observation in 2011. This year’s theme, organizers and the World Down Syndrome Day website said, is combating loneliness, which the website says can have an outsized impact on people living with Down syndrome.
The same day, nine-year-old Marusika Burlaca took the runway wearing a pink dress studded with small pearls, after having her hair done up. She said, “On stage, us children go on a parade,” describing the modeling experience and how she felt about being dressed for the occasion.
Larisa Bucur, another organizer, said participants sometimes get nervous because of emotions but that they “really like” attention and being centered. She said the show provides them with an opportunity to be in the spotlight.
In its reporting, the event also drew on local figures shared by Romania Down Syndrome Federation, which said that about 12,000 people in Romania have Down syndrome and that more than 6 million worldwide are living with the condition. The report also cited the federation’s figure that in 2022 Romania recorded one birth of a person with Down syndrome per 847 births.