Melissa Blake is a woman with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome, a genetic bone disorder. Despite being told that her dream of becoming a model would never come true due to her disability, she made her mark on the fashion world by walking the runway at New York Fashion Week.
Blake is also a journalist who covers topics related to disabilities, relationships, lifestyle, and pop culture. Born with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome, she has undergone around 26 surgeries on her knees, hands, hips, and spine. Throughout her struggles, Blake always aspired to be a model, but growing up, she noticed that the glossy magazines she loved never featured anyone who looked like her.
As a teenager, someone crushed her dreams by insisting that she could never be a model because of her disability. These negative comments lingered with her for years.
This discouragement was not just a blow to her aspirations; it also reinforced the narrow perception that disabled individuals have no place in the fashion and beauty industries.
However, Blake would eventually become a key figure in changing the narrative for disabled people in fashion. Two decades later, at 42, she saw her dream come true when she walked the runway for Zappos’ new adaptive clothing line during New York Fashion Week. Modeling during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself part of a significant transition in the world.
While acknowledging the pandemic’s challenges for disabled individuals, who faced limited access to healthcare and essential services, Blake emphasized that a shift in beauty standards was long overdue. She felt proud to represent this change in the fashion industry.
Blake noted that the pandemic transformed not only daily life but also how people express themselves through clothing.
Her runway walk was filmed from her home, and all 25 models showcased their stylish outfits alongside personal stories about their experiences living with disabilities and the importance of creating inclusive spaces.
Blake was excited to witness the fashion industry becoming more inclusive. Reflecting on how beauty magazines historically represented only a narrow type of woman, she appreciated the efforts of non-profit organizations like Runway of Dreams, founded by Mindy Scheier.
Scheier started her organization after her son, who was born with muscular dystrophy, struggled to wear clothes like his peers due to difficulties with buttons and zippers. It became evident that there was a lack of functional yet fashionable clothing for disabled individuals. Scheier’s organization uses events like New York Fashion Week to promote inclusive fashion.
In addition to looking up to advocates like Scheier, Blake shares her experiences of finding love as a disabled person on her blog, “So About What I Said…,” and contributes to trusted sites like Psychology Today. Her blog title reflects the idea of revisiting and correcting past misunderstandings.
Blake also stands up against online bullies. In 2019, she shared three photos of herself and responded to trolls who claimed she should stop posting pictures because she was “too ugly.” Her tweet went viral, and three years later, she commemorated the moment with a powerful message: “Because of you, I blossomed instead of withered, took up space instead of hid. I’m still standing…and rolling!”
Good for you for standing up for yourself. It shows you have worth, and that you are comfortable with who you are. It must’ve felt amazing doing a runway show in your home. May God bless you and everything that you do.