It’s almost September, which means it’s almost time for Runway of Dreams’ annual Fashion Revolution show during New York Fashion Week. Since it first crashed the NYFW party in 2018, the Runway of Dreams pageant has established itself as the biggest day of the year for inclusive clothing. The 2022 event, which takes place a week from next Monday, will be the biggest one yet, with more than a dozen designers showcasing their latest styles.
As always, the Fashion Revolution will feature a bevy of up-and-coming amputee models. Some are holdovers from last year’s show; others will be walking the NYFW runway for the first time. The amputee models on our list below are all Revolution rookies (we think). If you can’t attend in person (and the show is just about sold out), catch it online at Runway of Dreams’ YouTube channel. Learn more about the show from Runway of Dreams founder Mindy Scheier in the September/October edition of Amplitude.
Michaella Metz (Kohls)
If Michaella looks familiar, it might be because you recognize her from the cover of Amplitude‘s September-October 2019 edition. Now 12 years old, this congenital left below-knee amputee is no stranger to the spotlight. Last summer alone she appeared in Target’s back-to-school catalog, co-starred in an award-nominated short for the EasterSeals Disability Film Challenge, and danced her way into the national finals of the Starpower talent search. This year has brought further high-level competition in dance, plus a modeling gig with QK Kids Fashions and a spot on her school’s varsity cheerleading squad.
Myles Berrio (Tommy Adaptive)
“Life is tough; so are you,” Berrio posted on Instagram a couple days ago. He showed his own grit long before limb loss, clawing his way to success as a self-made real estate investor. In 2020 he lost his left leg (and nearly his right) in a collision with a drunk driver. “The life in front of you is far more important than the life behind you,” he wrote a year later. “Whatever happened, happened. It wasn’t fair. Get up and get going.” Berrio has been repping Ryderwear as a side gig since last year, and he’s not the only model in the family—his daughter, Mila, has posed for Gerber and Walmart. With his smile and his sunny outlook, this dude is gonna make any kind of clothes look good. Check him out at his website and on Insta at @myles.berrio.
Jaylyn Salcedo (Stemwear)
We don’t know a lot about this Fashion Revolution newcomer. We do know that she’s vegan, she lives in New York City, and she works in the medical field. After losing her leg in a 2016 accident, Salcedo has found validation and a sense of belonging through adaptive clothing. Follow her on Instagram at @auraticangel.
Adrianne Haslet (Stemwear)
Attending NYFW as a special guest, Haslett idolized Ginger Rogers as a kid and dreamed of becoming a ballroom dancer. She ascended to the #3 world ranking in that discipline before losing her left leg in 2013, a casualty of the Boston Marathon bombing. A few years later she was back on the dance floor, competing on Dancing With the Stars. That same year (2016) Haslet returned to the Boston Marathon—this time as a runner—and completed the 26-mile route on her prosthesis. (She repeated the feat this year.) Along the way, she has drawn raves as a public speaker (her TedTalk has garnered more than 2.5 million views) and has dabbled in fashion modeling (most recently for Vogue Japan). Visit her online at adriannehaslet.com or on Instagram @adriannehaslet.
Earl Granville (No Limbits)
He’s used to being in the spotlight as an advocate for wounded warriors and an occasional adaptive athlete. But this is Granville’s first runway modeling experience, and it’s not exactly in his comfort zone. “My military buddies are busting my chops about being the next Zoolander,” he told Amplitude recently. If he survives NYFW, the Purple Heart recipient will get back out on the road as a public speaker, raising awareness and funds for organizations such as Operation Enduring Warrior, Oscar Mike, and Warrior Strong. Learn more at his website or on Instagram at @earlgranville.