Check out this real-life Supergirl! Even though Rebekah Marine has a prosthetic arm, that hasn’t stopped her from launching a successful modeling career, which includes appearing in Nordstrom’s 2015 anniversary catalog and hitting the runway at New York Fashion Week.
The New Jersey native, 28, made her fashion week debut at Antonio Urzi’s presentation in NYC last February, clad in a futuristic, barely there ensemble and silver face paint. Naturally, she slayed it, so she’s coming back, this time strutting her stuff at the FTL Moda show on Sept. 13, where she’ll show off her new i-limb quantum prosthetic hand (i.e. the first prosthesis that allows the wearer to change grips with a simple gesture).
“It’s so important to include more diverse models, because after all, nearly one in five people in America have a disability,” Marine, who was born without a forearm, told Mashable. “We should be celebrating uniqueness, not conforming to what the media thinks is beautiful.”
But the model (who doesn’t mind cracking jokes about her arm) confessed that while she maintains a positive attitude, it hasn’t been easy to make it in the modeling industry. “Agencies often won’t even look at my portfolio,” she admitted. “But I’ve come to realize it’s all about finding your niche. I’ve accepted that most clients may not want to work with me based on my ‘disability.'”
Nevertheless, Marine, who’s also modeled bridalwear, said she’s going to keep going until she sees her dream brought to life: “Above all, I hope to land on the cover of Vogue one day—that’s my personal goal. And I won’t stop until I get there.”
