Inaugural "The Style Show: A Runway to Empower"

September 14, 2022

In 2021, Rare by Design, a new organization joined the Sioux Falls, South Dakota nonprofit landscape. Rare by Design was founded by Kendra Gottsleben, a marketing and communications specialist with the University of South Dakota Center for Disabilities (SD UCEDD/LEND). Gottsleben is a disability/rare disease advocate, author, and seeks to expand the region’s diversity mindset. 

The mission of Rare by Design is to celebrate the rare that makes us unique and extraordinary. It  strives to assist individuals with disabilities and rare diseases, along with their families, in creating awareness of inclusion, representation, and living life positively.

This past May, Rare by Design hosted their inaugural event “The Style Show: A Runway to Empower” to give a platform, or in this case a runway, for all. Rare by Design believes beauty is stitched within each and every one of us. It doesn’t matter how each person struts down the runway, it's the rarity within us all that makes us beautiful. Proceeds raised during “The Style Show” helped raise awareness and financial support for Breathe Bravely, an organization championing people with cystic fibrosis.

“The Style Show: A Runway to Empower” featured models of varied abilities, ages, genders, sexual orientations, races and diverse body types. The main goal of this event was to demonstrate what true diversity can look like. Often when the word diversity is discussed, people with disabilities/rare diseases are excluded. People with disabilities make up the largest minority group as a person can be both a minority and have a disability/rare disease. Rare by Design aimed for attendees to realize the importance of how much true representation matters in all aspects of life. Including all means “all” in every way, shape and form, ranging from day-to-day situations to television shows and commercials to board rooms and businesses.

Alt Text. Image of 14 models lined up on the back of a white runway. Behind models are ceiling to floor length curtains with uplighting of pink, purple, blue colors and a project screen with text that says 'The Style Show A Runway to Empower'. Kendra is sitting in front of the line of models. Around the lit up runway are audience members standing and clapping.

“The Style Show” showcased how clothing can empower people of all abilities and diverse body types with confidence and how local businesses play key roles in this process. The clothing models wore came from local boutiques and stores in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Three models highlighted adaptive apparel from mainstream brands.

Seventeen models, all from South Dakota, strutted the runway to a cheering, sold-out crowd. Sixty percent of the models represented people with varying disabilities and rare diseases. While all models were from South Dakota, attendees hailed from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, California and South Dakota.

Rare by Design felt incredibly fortunate for the community support received for a first-time fundraising event, and believes the community is ready for increased diversity in all aspects of our world. People are excited to see more people who look like them and the positive, successful lives they lead. Rare by Design looks forward to continuing to make a difference.

To see a recap video of “The Style Show: A Runway to Empower”, click here.

 

Alt Text: Image of 14 models lined up on the back of a white runway. Behind models are ceiling to floor length curtains with uplighting of pink, purple, blue colors and a project screen with text that says 'The Style Show A Runway to Empower'. Kendra is sitting in front of the line of models. Around the lit up runway are audience members standing and clapping.