Model with Down's Syndrome has just become Benefit's brand ambassador
A model who lives with Down's Syndrome has just been announced as a brand ambassador for Benefit Cosmetics.
Kate Grant also has quite the portfolio too. The model, who hails from Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, previously defied healthcare officials who "painted a bleak future" by becoming the first model with Down's Syndrome to land first place in an international beauty pageant.
Kate, whose mother was told that she would never learn to read or speak, won the Teen Ultimate Beauty of The World competition - held in Portadown, Northern Ireland - back in August.
Now, it's been announced that she has been signed up as an ambassador for Benefit Cosmetics.
The news was announced on the beauty brand's Instagram account via a gorgeous snap of Kate applying her winged eyeliner with a Benefit product.
"Just wingin' it! We are OBSESSED with the gorgeous @kategrantmodel," wrote Benefit in the caption.
Kate shared a similar snap on her own Instagram account, writing: "This week has been amazing thank you @benefitcosmeticsuk. Make sure you all get this amazing liner!"
And the people of the internet absolutely loved the campaign, with it quickly racking up almost 5,000 likes.
"What an inspirational young lady, thank you @benefitcosmeticsuk for the heartwarming equal chances with your models! And for the amazing make up obviously," wrote one Instagram user, while another corroborated "Yes!!! Thank you @benefitcosmeticsuk you nailed it!! @kategrantmodel is beautiful, a huge influence in the world and has such a powerful voice for so many!"
Kate, who has wanted to be a model since she was 13, has previously modelled at Belfast Fashion Week and for boutiques in her hometown but despite her mother, Deirdre, emailing her photographs to various different agencies, she struggled to get work - something she attributes to having Down's Syndrome.
Earlier this year, Deirdre took to social media to post a photograph of Kate in her prom dress, asking if it was so unrealistic for her daughter to aspire to be a model. The post, which was shared over 26,000 times, was eventually seen by the director of the Teen Ultimate Beauty of the World, Taylor-Rae Hamilton, who subsequently invited Kate to come take part in the 2018 iteration.
The model's achievement goes against the bleak outlook one doctor described for Deirdre and her husband John, after Kate was born and confirmed to have Down's Syndrome.
"I thought of him [the doctor] as she made her acceptance speech up on the stage at the pageant, describing her hopes for an inclusive society, one where people like her are treated as equals," the proud mother said when speaking to Kim Willis for Sunday People.
Speaking about the experience, Kate asserted "I want the next generation who have any special needs to know the true meaning of beauty is who you are, not what you look like."
"Kindness, compassion and inner sparkle, that's the ultimate beauty. If the judges saw that in me, then I'm happy."
I think we can all agree that this is just the kind of representation that we need to see in the beauty industry.