When fashion and disability come together, nothing is impossible. On Sunday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m., the Teatro Di Costanzo–Mattiello in Pompei will host the fifth edition of "The Other Face of Fashion…Impossible is Nothing," an evening of fashion and entertainment organized by the UILDM chapter in Ottaviano, near Naples.
«The idea came five years ago from a group of UILDM members in Ottaviano who wanted to break down prejudice and cultural barriers. A person in a wheelchair can be beautiful, elegant, have a family, a job. The message we want to send is that a normal life is possible, and that beauty presents itself in many different ways,» explains Marilena Prisco, the event's organizer.
In the first part of the evening, models with and without disabilities will walk the runway together. The garments were designed by students from the Fashion program at the "De Medici" Institute of Higher Education, by stylist Ilaria Russo, and by master shirtmaker Alfredo De Luca. The runway show will feature danceability performances and remarks from Benedetta De Luca, a model with a disability. At the close, the International Prize for Italian Excellence will be awarded—an honor created to recognize true Italian excellence in its respective field.
Proceeds from the event will fund the installation of wheelchair ramps in public venues and open spaces throughout Pompei.