London - She wore denim shorts and a T-shirt for rehearsals, then went on to make her debut at New York Fashion Week in a £1 450 (R26 000) velvet dress with a gold filigree bodice.
It was a remarkable achievement for nine-year-old Daisy-May Demetre, from Birmingham – not least because she is the first child double amputee to model at one of the event’s official shows. Born with a rare bone defect that led to her having both legs amputated at 18 months old, she has been making her way in the competitive world of modelling on her prosthetic blades for the past year.
In New York on Sunday, she dazzled before an audience of hundreds in a wine-coloured dress with a flowing train by the French-inspired fashion house Lulu et Gigi, which specialises in luxury clothing for children.
Daisy-May said: "I couldn’t believe it when I was told I’d be the first person to walk down the catwalk, but as soon as the music started I lost all my nerves and just had fun.
WATCH: Double amputee Daisy-May Demetre
walking the runway at Fashion Week
"I was really lucky as I got to appear again at the end of the show. Dad always says he wants me to lead the way for other amputees and if I can do it, anyone can. He tells me to chase my dreams and I’m so glad I have."
The dress she wore forms part of Lulu et Gigi’s spring/summer 2020 collection. The show was at the Angel Orensanz Foundation, the oldest surviving synagogue building in New York.
Daisy-May’s father Alex Demetre, 36, a water company maintenance worker who accompanied her on the Big Apple trip, said: "Daisy walked it like a professional and had fun doing it. She felt really proud of herself for what she achieved."
Daisy-May was picked for the show after Lulu et Gigi’s founder and head designer Eni Hegedus-Buiron saw her at London Kids Fashion Week in February.