Surf Style has a model in their library who’s bringing a lot more than just his looks. The beachwear company announced it way back in 2019.
Ethan Holt, a teen with Down syndrome, joined Surf Style as a model and showed what people like him could do.
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He was just 17 when it happened. Ethan was the perfect candidate for the role if you knew anything about his school life.
Being a member of both the high school and Special Olympics swim team, no one doubted Ethan’s love for watersports.
“It’s definitely a mama’s proud moment.” said his mother, Phoy
The St. Petersburg teen was incredibly happy when the clothing and souvenir business offered him the modeling job.
His bright young smile and determined aura were just what they were looking for.
His background in watersports as a person with Down syndrome helped too. The company’s goal was to show how much they care about inclusion. To many young people with conditions like Ethan’s, that can mean the world.
“I guess that you can say that it was a match made in heaven.” his mother added
Surf Style discovered Ethan through Help Us Gather (HUG), a nonprofit organization.
HUG works to find accommodations and opportunities for people with special needs.
Through Ethan, the brand hopes to connect with more of their special needs customers and set an example. Inclusion is the goal and I’d say they’ve made huge steps in achieving it.
Of course, models are supposed to do photoshoots. Ethan showed up for his all important one on July 30.
The spot was a Surf Style flagship store at Clearwater Beach.
On his big day, Ethan posed and smiled for the camera. Through these photos, people could clearly see he had Down syndrome. And yet he looked like the happiest teen on the planet and he was on posters inside clothing stores.
That sort of representation can make you feel over the moon. Others like you would feel the same too.
Picture a young child with Down syndrome seeing Ethan’s poster in one of those stores. Imagine the confidence and the smiles that they’d get from that.
Robin Lally, the founder of HUG, spoke about how long they worked to get Ethan this opportunity. Months were spent trying to help kick off the teen’s modeling career. Lally was told “There was no market” for models with disabilities such as Ethan.
Well, there is one now!
Now, Ethan has built a habit of walking into Surf Style stores to see himself on the posters.
How many people can say they do that?
And the teenager should be allowed some pride. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your work or your achievements. Ethan has definitely earned his, especially with the hurdles people like him face.
Surf Style says they hope that this sets an example for other brands to follow. I hope so too. The more people feel comfortable with the way they were born, the better.
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