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00:00The fashion world is known for its beauty and unobtainable perfection.
00:09Traditionally, models have been young, slim and fit.
00:18It's rare to have seen this challenged.
00:21This year, Milan Fashion Week is being disrupted by inclusion and disability.
00:29Hi, I'm Claire and I'm a model in Milan.
00:54Milan is famous for being one of the fashion capitals of the world.
00:59And Milan Fashion Week is certainly an event, which is all that is exciting, exquisite and exclusive.
01:10The suburb of Malpensa is about an hour out of central Milan.
01:14And this hotel is going to be model boot camp for the next two days,
01:18where they'll be fitted couture garments and taught tricks to impress on the catwalk.
01:28Hi.
01:29Welcome, madam.
01:30Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Um, grati.
01:33Um, grati.
01:35Room for Yulia Barton, Claire Freeman.
01:38This is your key.
01:4038-year-old Claire Freeman is one of the models chosen from around the world to represent Yulia Barton,
01:46inclusive fashion industry, at Milan Fashion Week.
01:49Grati.
01:50Enjoy your stay, madam.
01:51OK, madam.
01:52Claire.
01:53First door here on the right side.
01:55OK.
01:56Claire is not only the oldest in the show, she's the only tetraplegic,
02:00which means all four limbs are affected by her injury.
02:05Oh, and she's never modelled on the catwalk before.
02:08Modelling is something I'm not familiar with at all.
02:13I've never really seen myself as a model, but I do have, um, an Instagram account,
02:18and it's quite a popular Instagram account.
02:21So, um, I think that's one of the reasons why they've chosen me to be in the show,
02:26is because there are a lot of people that are, um, interested in my story.
02:33To declare high needs, she is a carer almost 24-7.
02:37And travelling without one was a huge challenge.
02:41There's little sleeping or eating on board,
02:44and navigating airline toilets are no mean feat,
02:47especially when you have a broken neck.
02:49From New Zealand to Europe, it takes close to 40 hours.
02:54I don't sleep on the plane.
02:56It's quite a bit of stress due to stop-overs,
03:00making sure the wheelchair is brought up to the gate,
03:03and managing a whole lot of personal things as well.
03:07To be honest, it is, like, a form of torture for us not having sleep.
03:13When I got the call and I got the tickets to come over,
03:19it was just a mad panic to find people to help me.
03:24But I was really lucky because I managed to get hold of a friend who was gonna be in Milan as well.
03:31He'll be just helping quietly in the background.
03:39Being here in Milan, it's totally surreal.
03:42Certainly two years ago, if you'd said to me,
03:45you're gonna be in Milan, Claire, being a model on a catwalk,
03:49I would have laughed, but here I am.
03:52It is completely and utterly surreal but exciting and terrifying at the same time.
04:00What am I doing here?
04:02Um, but, you know, life is crazy.
04:05I know that from my injuries.
04:07So it's sort ofâ
04:08It's just one of those things.
04:09And you gotta takeâ
04:11You gotta take risks.
04:13And that's what I'm doing.
04:14And just see how it goes.
04:17See how it goes.
04:20Yeah.
04:21So I did a post just before I left.
04:24I was actually breaking in some heels that we are wearing in the show.
04:29And I just wanted to, I guess, express where I was with regards to this whole experience.
04:40So here I am, breaking in these heels before my trip across the world,
04:44while packing as little as I can.
04:46I only pack what I can carry.
04:48It seems surreal to me that two years ago, I was at my lowest and darkest point.
04:53I was suicidal.
04:54I'd lost my job and more muscle movement due to botched neck surgery.
04:58I couldn't see getting through the day, let alone seeing a future.
05:03But life is a strange thing.
05:05And sometimes, not always, but sometimes you get lucky.
05:08Two years ago, I made a decision.
05:10As the saying goes, get busy living or get busy dying.
05:14I picked myself up and made new goals.
05:24Clare Freeman was your typical Kiwi girl.
05:27But at age 17, her life changed forever.
05:32She was in a car accident, which occurred when her mother fell asleep at the wheel.
05:40She broke her spine and became tetraplegic.
05:44Over the next 15 years, Clare adapted to life with a disability,
05:48building a successful career as a graphic designer.
05:52She was independent and very much an individual.
05:57In 2015, an operation to correct a crumbling vertebrae went wrong.
06:03Clare was left with a higher level of disability.
06:06She fell into depression.
06:15With support, Clare climbed out of the darkness.
06:19She started studying for her PhD and, with the encouragement of her friends,
06:23started an Instagram account where she shared her story.
06:26Which just happens to be where Clare was discovered by an Italian fashion agency.
06:33Thus, this fashionista was born.
06:35I've never considered myself, I guess, a role model or anything.
06:40But if someone else can pick up something positive from what I'm doing,
06:44then that's fantastic.
06:45And I've just sort of shared my story and said,
06:48Look, you can have an injury and still, you know, crazy things can happen.
06:54Here I am, getting ready in Milan, being a model on a catwalk.
06:59All the other models are arriving at the hotel.
07:08Clare has to brave her natural shyness to overcome the meeting and greeting.
07:14You hear, like, you know, if you play with your hair, it's like,
07:16it's like, come and have sex with me.
07:18I think so.
07:20That's why I'm always conscious that I'm doing it in front of guys.
07:22I'm like, I'm not saying I want to have sex with you.
07:24I'm just trying to straighten it, because normally it's buffy.
07:27Hi. Hello.
07:33I recognise you guys.
07:36We've all sort of seen each other before, whether it's on Instagram or Facebook,
07:41but it's the first time that we've seen each other in person.
07:44It's intimidating.
07:46A lot of them have done this before.
07:48They're quite sort of professional at it.
07:51I just spoke to one girl who has just done New York Fashion Week.
07:56Yeah, I was just like, wow. I'm New Zealand.
07:59OK.
08:00So, you know, I'm kind of feeling a little bit out of my depth, but, um,
08:04just trying to fit in as best I can.
08:06Oh! Hello! Oh my gosh!
08:11I'm me!
08:13How are you today?
08:14I'm good. How are you?
08:15Getting used to this kissing.
08:19It's so European.
08:22Meeting people in a group is quite intimidating for me.
08:25I would say I'm quite an introverted person. I'm not, you know, I'm not really extroverted.
08:30I'm conscious of just being friendly and nice, but, you know, I'm always trying to push myself anyway,
08:37so I'm trying to get out of my comfort zones, even though it might be kind of scary.
08:42Yeah, you're so beautiful, by the way.
08:45Thank you!
08:46I'm definitely the highest level here.
08:48Oh, she's so pretty.
08:49So far, no one's said anything. It's more about your age.
08:52I'm, I think I'm the oldest person.
08:55No, I'm 30 years old. No.
08:57Uh, late 30s, so, um, 30, 38.
09:01That seems to be more of an issue than, I guess, your level of disability or what your disability is.
09:06I mean, I'm quite inquisitive, so I'm tempted to ask people, you know,
09:10oh, so, why are you using a wheelchair or why do you have an imitated limb or something?
09:16But, um, yeah, I'm trying to be polite as well, so.
09:20And I don't post that much.
09:22I'm kind of, like, surprised that people have picked up on it, but, I don't know.
09:2715.9, that's, yeah, that's good.
09:30It's kind of crazy.
09:31You're better than mine.
09:34And you're not modelling. Look at all your modelling pictures.
09:37I take half of them myself, to be honest.
09:39Like, I'm trained as a graphic designer, so I'm kind of, you know, I've got, like, a background in design.
09:46So you edit them.
09:47She's super happy.
09:48Julia Patocione is the CEO of the Julia Baton Inclusive Fashion Industry,
09:53a branch of her modelling agency, which she set up in 2016, based in Rome.
10:00The inspiration to have a modelling agency that is inclusive was due to Julia's brother, Fabrizio,
10:06who became tetraplegic in a diving accident.
10:09The mission for Julia Baton is to select women and men with disabilities or trauma.
10:14They can be walking or using a wheelchair from all around the world and transform them into top models.
10:22It's just so awesome to see all these amazing people together in the same place.
10:26And, yeah, it's really kind of breaking barriers, I think, that's, you know, it's good.
10:31It's really cool to be included in something like this.
10:35You know, you think fashion, you think perfection.
10:38And, you know, obviously we're not perfect, but it's OK not to be perfect.
10:44And maybe there's a sense of perfection in perfection.
10:47So, you know, it's cool. I really like it.
10:50Now it's time to get on with wardrobe fittings and rehearsals.
11:06I'm so excited and we are working today for fitting.
11:10So we have to try all the outfits.
11:13We have like 18 outfits because all the models, every model has two outfits on the catwalk.
11:22So I think that we work all day, full day, yes, for it.
11:28Claire, I love her and we usually choose our model by casting.
11:37But with Claire, we don't follow this way.
11:41Because when I see her on Instagram, I immediately impressed by her and I contact her.
11:52And I asked her if you want to be part of our staff.
11:59And she immediately replied me.
12:02And so now she's here.
12:06She's beautiful.
12:08She will be perfect in catwalk.
12:10She's very elegant.
12:12Also her body is perfect for catwalk, yes.
12:16It's important also a strong character on the catwalk.
12:21Um, um, personality.
12:26Um, and the beauty.
12:31Yes.
12:37Today we're going to be finding out what we're wearing.
12:40And some of the designers are hopefully going to come in and see, show us this stuff.
12:44Later on we're going to learn how to, I guess, walk on the catwalk.
12:48And just sort of run through the show and stuff.
12:54I've never really considered myself to be a particularly beautiful person.
12:58Certainly just after the accident when I was 17.
13:01Because of the ideas and misconceptions I had about somebody with this sort of injury.
13:06A huge sense of humiliation, embarrassment.
13:10I just thought, well, there's just no way that I fit into a beautiful person category.
13:16I struggled, especially with being seen in my wheelchair.
13:20I would never have photos taken or anything.
13:23And if I did have a photo taken, I'd always have to sit in a normal chair.
13:26And even on dating websites, I would never mention the fact I had a spinal injury.
13:31And going to design school didn't help that because I was so image orientated.
13:39So it kind of pushed the idea even more about what is aesthetically beautiful.
13:44And I certainly didn't see myself in that role.
13:47But I guess through social media and stuff, I can see that beauty is such a diverse thing for me.
13:57That's the cool thing about this is that a lot of the girls and guys have been through so much trauma
14:02that there is a real connection there.
14:04There doesn't seem to be any egos that have surfaced yet.
14:07I've been sort of reconceptualising myself and working on my self-esteem.
14:16I think age definitely helps. As you get a little bit older, you become a little bit less self-conscious
14:24and you just realise there's a bit more to life than appearance.
14:28I think that Claire can wear Angelo Cruciani because she has red hair and he has a very colourful collection like this one.
14:45It's perfect for her. So Claire with Cruciani.
14:51Hello, I'm Angelo Cruciani. I'm Italian. I'm a fashion designer.
14:57And it's around 25 years I work in fashion.
15:01I've started since when I was 16. I was a model.
15:06And later, after two, three years, I've studied for becoming a fashion designer.
15:21Julia has invited six different fashion labels to her show at Milan Fashion Week.
15:26Claire is assigned to model two outfits, one for Angelo Cruciani and the others for Giuseppe Fata, who is doing Christian Dior headdresses.
15:35I used to take part of fashion show as testimonial many times because I have a lot of friends with some different conditions of lifestyle.
15:53And I was, I'm very honoured to be part of this fashion show.
16:02Tomorrow it's my first inclusive fashion show.
16:05This fashion show, the theme of my fashion show is the perfection.
16:10Because I detest the word normal.
16:14All the time people say to me, this is normal, this is not normal.
16:17I became a monster. I became not normal. I became a real monster.
16:23Because I detest how the people use this kind of word.
16:27This is why I call the fashion show perfectly perfect.
16:35Because I think nature creates everything in the perfect way.
16:39And everything became perfect.
16:41Everything is perfect. Everybody's perfect.
16:43Today we're going to be finding out what we're wearing.
16:49Hopefully I won't be a diva.
16:52The only diva thing that I can think of is if they want me to wear something see-through I'm a little bit worried about.
16:59But I can't see that happening and hopefully it doesn't.
17:02Here's something else Claire hasn't considered.
17:05Stripping down to her smalls is all part of the modelling life.
17:10No room for Shina's hair.
17:12Because, like, you just took your fucking clothes off in front of me.
17:17You know, it was like, it's like, hey, everybody, I make it.
17:21Kind of.
17:22And I bought this bra that totally doesn't fit me, like, a day before I came.
17:26So I'm like, well, this is embarrassing because, like, you know, here I am in my undies.
17:30And I'm just kind of like, yeah, I mean, it was like, I went to a German spa once where I, you know, everyone was naked.
17:40And I was in my togs.
17:42And I'm kind of like, I'm not getting naked.
17:45But they're all, like, looking at you like, you've got to get naked.
17:47And, you know, you're just kind of like, well, I guess we're in Rome, right?
17:51Join the crew.
17:52So you just did it.
17:55It was all in Italian, so you didn't really know what was going on.
18:09And it was fine.
18:10They were lovely.
18:11They were helpful.
18:12I understand that as a model, it's about your body, you're a kind of product in a way.
18:20So I'm just trying to sort of reframe myself to think this is kind of like, I guess it's a job.
18:29Being a perfectly perfect model is trickier than it looks.
18:35Initially, I went down and I smiled and they were like, no, don't smile.
18:41They were like, look fierce.
18:43I keep thinking of that movie Zoolander.
18:45Blue Steel or something like that.
18:59I believe this is a good opportunity for Milan Fashion Week to understand fashion can be part of society,
19:06not only for economy, but also promote different kind of way to see the life.
19:12I believe this is the new fashion. Fashion is not only garments.
19:16I definitely feel this is empowering people, empowering women and empowering people and, you know, with spinal cord injuries,
19:23which is, you know, I certainly don't see anything wrong with that.
19:26I think it's great.
19:28It's been a long day, but Claire is energised by the arrival of Elena, a model she met from her Instagram page,
19:35who she introduced to Julia for the show.
19:38Good to see you, dear.
19:40So good to see you.
19:41Finally.
19:42I know, right? Like over here.
19:43How are you?
19:44I'm so happy to see you.
19:45Elena had dreamed of modelling, but two years ago, she broke her spine.
19:49Always.
19:50Yeah.
19:51Well, so how was the point?
19:52Claire, Celia is a big part of my life and very inspiring.
19:56She was the first person, the girl in the wheelchair that I met.
20:00And when she told me that she built that house and she pursuing this degree,
20:07and I was like, wow, all those things are still possible.
20:10I'm like, look at this girl.
20:12And she has a higher injury than me.
20:15If she can, why I can't?
20:17Before injury, I was just dreaming about Milan and going abroad.
20:23And here I am.
20:24I have injury, but I'm in Milan on a fashion show.
20:29Like, it's amazing.
20:31The big day has arrived and the tension is ramping up.
20:46Julia has made sure all can get into Teatro Versace, the venue for the show in central Milan.
20:52Today is like D-Day. Tonight we've got the show. I did not sleep.
21:09It's just sort of... I've just been a bunch of nerves, really.
21:13It's just... I'm so out of my comfort zone.
21:16So, yeah, I'm just sort of feeling kind of...
21:21I'm running on adrenaline, something that you get...
21:24It's a similar feeling to when the earthquakes were happening.
21:28The proceeds of the fashion show will be donated to The Vertical Foundation,
21:32a non-profit organisation that carries out research on spinal injuries.
21:37The CEO of The Vertical Foundation is Fabrizio.
21:41I think the most anxious part for me would be the actual show.
21:57Like, I'm really nervous about getting quickly changed and the pace of everything.
22:04You know, we've got a few different outfits to wear.
22:06I guess modesty's gonna have to go out the window.
22:09And being on the catwalk is gonna be quite scary.
22:17It's very avant-garde. It's very couture, kind of arty, which is really cool.
22:23And I like that aspect.
22:25So I sort of feel, well, it's not a beauty pageant.
22:28Not that I have anything against beauty pageants, but I'm a very artistic person.
22:32So in that sense, yeah, it's cool.
22:37We've got these amazing Christian Dior headpieces that we'll be wearing.
22:43So it'll be a very artistic, very creative show.
22:49That's okay.
22:50I sort of feel like I'm the old one out, just because I'm usually the old one out.
22:54So I assume everyone's kind of done this before.
22:58And when I say, are you guys nervous?
23:01They all look at me going, no.
23:04And I'm like, what? It's like crazy. It's gonna be insane.
23:08So, yeah, that's interesting to know that this is a first for a few of them.
23:13Because they all seem so professional.
23:15I think it's really important for people to see that it's not all picture perfect.
23:21And that we see more of what we see in the streets.
23:24And that's not only models with disabilities, but plus size models.
23:28Models with another skin tone.
23:31Everything that's still, like, not the majority of fashion.
23:36The message that we want to share is a message of equality.
23:42And, I mean, we are really like the other models.
23:47We are really like the other people.
23:49I'm nervous because I'm pregnant.
23:51So I don't know how people are going to react to that.
23:54So I have a disability and a pregnant belly.
23:58You don't see that on a catwalk every day.
24:01Beauty is not just one type of thing,
24:04but there are lots of kind of beauties.
24:07Hi.
24:08I believe without removing everything, we need to...
24:11Sorry, thank you.
24:13To try the shirt.
24:14Okay.
24:15And to create better things for your neck.
24:18Because they were not satisfied with the results.
24:22Okay.
24:23I think they're doing another fitting.
24:26Yeah, so we're gonna look at some more...
24:28Just a little few alterations or something to one of the outfits.
24:33Yeah.
24:34Wow.
24:35She's amazing.
24:36She's...
24:37She looks like an Hollywood actress.
24:40All my assistants say, she looks like Catherine.
24:44I don't remember the exact name.
24:46An Hollywood diva.
24:47But I saw more inside.
24:51I have so deep in her eyes because she's beautiful.
24:56But I believe she's more sweet.
24:58And also there is a very fragile person inside.
25:03But not fragile because she's not strong.
25:07Fragile because she's sensitive.
25:09She's sweet.
25:10She's like...
25:11She's like a dream.
25:13You cannot touch a dream.
25:15Can you do upward?
25:16Upward?
25:17Yeah.
25:18Up high.
25:19Someone up...
25:20Can you do it?
25:21Can you do it?
25:22Can you do it?
25:23Can you do it?
25:24She has the attitude of a diva.
25:26This is natural.
25:28This you cannot learn in the school.
25:30You cannot study for this.
25:33You can only burn with this kind of things.
25:35She doesn't do nothing.
25:36And this is special.
25:38No need to do something.
25:39She needs only to stay and say, okay, this is perfect.
25:43It's the last rehearsal and Claire is determined to show Julia and Angelo that little Instagrammer
26:02from New Zealand can sashay with the best of them.
26:13I am extremely nervous and I'm shitting myself.
26:36Luckily, it's not literal but...
26:40Yeah, it's just like, it's crazy.
26:43I can't believe I'm here.
26:56I believe in the future, our work, the work of a fashion designer, will be to learn to
27:02the people, accept yourself and you can become beautiful.
27:05Nothing will be perfect because this is life, no?
27:09You need to accept what sky wanna give you.
27:14And there is a destiny for everybody.
27:17We can create one part of 50%.
27:20The other 50% we need to accept the energy of the world.
27:29Let's bring the house down.
27:31Life isn't easy.
27:54It's the hardest thing any of us will do.
27:57But as well as the crap that we're given, sometimes we get given a break.
28:02A good break.
28:07Milan may not have been something that I ever thought was possible, but neither was having a spinal injury.
28:12So I'm taking the good with the bad, mixing them together and creating something crazy exciting.
28:19It's crazy exciting.
28:50Attitude was made with funding from New Zealand On Air.
28:53Go to the top.
28:54Tara, go ahead.
28:55Daniel, if we go filter and layer.
28:57Emmanuelnovate.
28:58Go to the bottom.
28:59Google Alerts.
29:00The other 2021
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