Meet the First Double-Amputee Child to Model at NYFW

Her career has sky-rocketed in popularity

She’s 9 years old, and she’s the first double-amputee child model to appear at New York Fashion Week. Daisy-May Demetre was born in Birmingham, England. She has fibular hemimelia — a rare condition where part or all of the fibular bone is missing. Her legs were amputated when she was 18 months old. Her parents, Alex and Claire Demetre, were shocked to learn of her condition after a doctor consulted a baby scan and informed them that the child would “have no legs”. She received prosthetic legs and used them to help her walk and move. She began her modelling career at 8 for different brands.

Her parents never dreamed that their daughter would go on to become a fearless gymnast, as well as a model for Boden, Britain’s largest clothing catalogue. Daisy-May’s father, Alex Demetre, says he has always encouraged her to follow her dreams. She’s been modeling for 18 months already, having worked for Nike, River Island and several other high street brands in the UK. She was even named Child of Courage in the Pride of Birmingham Awards. “She inspired me by showing me who she was. She takes on life with a smile on her face and she does remarkable things,” he told CNN. “Whether it’s dancing, singing, she is a very special little girl,” he added.

Daisy-May got her big break in modeling as a result of Alex watching TV on his day off. He saw a feature from Zebedee Management, a modeling agency which casts children with disabilities in ad campaigns and got in touch with them on a whim. On September 8, 2019 she walked for the luxury children’s line Lulu et Gigi Couture. After this, she is set to model at the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Fashion Week.

Brut.