Italia, the 18-year-old Essex-born model set Instagram alight. The photograph of Goldstein, with a flutter of Gucci Mascara L’Obscur, was not simply an advert for megawatt lashes, it was a battle cry against the historic beauty ideals that have long excluded disability. Racking up more than 800,000 likes, it was the Italian brand’s most liked post ever.
Three years later, Goldstein’s star is still ascending, with campaigns for Adidas, Victoria’s Secret and an ambassadorship for the learning disability charity Mencap under her belt. “My disability has taught me to be ‘me’ – and not to be scared of doing things louder in the world,” says the ebullient 21-year-old, who has Down’s syndrome. “[It’s about] following your hopes and dreams. Never give up, be who you are and smile all the way.