Inspiring Story of How a Young Woman with Muscular Dystrophy Became a Model

Fashion design brand Diesel recently held a casting call for models and fashion blogger Jillian Mercado, a young woman who has spastic muscular dystrophy, decided to apply. To her pleasant surprise, she booked the job and is now one of twenty-three models featured in Diesel's new #DieselReboot ad campaign by art director Nicola Formichetti.

Despite sending pictures of herself in on a whim, not really expecting anything to come of it, Diesel's team was eager to see more of Mercado. They requested additional images to be sent in via email because, they wrote, “We are kind of interested in having you in the campaign.” She fit in with the brand's refreshing re-identification, which includes the following key elements: “Freedom, creation, originality, and above all, bravery.”

After having kept her modeling project a secret for about two months, not knowing when the campaign would officially launch, Mercado was beyond ecstatic to finally see herself featured in Diesel's international ad campaign alongside fashion model James Astronaut. After thanking the fashion brand and her photographers for “the chance of a lifetime and believing in me,” she exclaims, “This is beyond everything. You guys that's me!!”






Jillian Mercado website
Jillian Mercado on Instagram
via [22 Words]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata is the Managing Editor at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is an alumni of the Center for Arts Education’s Career Development Program in NYC. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching movies, reading, crafting, drawing, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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