Sinéad Burke makes her debut on the second ever cover of sartorial bible, Business of Fashion, casually outshining Kim Kardashian who covered the first.
The Irish native makes a powerful statement in the publication's "Age of Influence" issue in a deconstructed Burberry trench coat and Adidas Stan Smiths as she demands that fashion does a better job of including everyone.
Burke, who has Achondroplasia and is an advocate for greater inclusivity in every aspect of the world, is a well-known figure not just in Ireland but on the global stage.
Her 2017 TED Talk "Why Design Should Include Everyone" is one of the most-watched installments of the series. Burke has also been invited to the White House, spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and made four speaking appearances at Business of Fashion's VOICES.
Along the way, she has personally talked one-on-one with everyone from Oprah Winfrey and RuPaul to Joe Biden and Christine Lagarde.
Wielding a scissors as she chops the luxe $2,000 designer coat to suit her liking, Burke tells the magazine that in an era where becoming an "influencer" is easier than ever, there is an even greater need for inclusivity.
She tells editor Tim Blanks, “I used to think influencer culture would be a new vehicle for minority voices to be heard. But this is just the beginning.”
“Lots of different questions need to be asked of the fashion industry,” she insists. “Movements often have individuals at the helm but they need to be supported by allies. For true success, there has to be a community, supported by people in power who can further causes that they aren’t perhaps affected by.”
The 27-year-old also spoke of her experiences forced to shop in the children's wear department.
"My money is the same as yours, why am I limited to shopping for items that don’t fit properly and don’t help me command respect and own a space,” she asks.
With her profile as an articulate advocate on the rise, it wasn't long before she caught the attention of Alice Delahunt, former global director of digital marketing at Burberry, whom she collaborated with on custom outfits for her many public speaking engagements.
Read More: Irish woman Alice Delahunt named as Chief Digital Officer at Ralph Lauren
Now, she is urging other brands to follow suit and notice the community of over one billion people across the world who identify as disabled.
“One of the challenges of fashion is that it is notoriously hierarchical, and it profits from exclusivity," Burke says.
"In order for the disabled market to be relevant customers and to have their voices validated, there has to be power sharing. There are very few people within the fashion industry in positions of power who have lived experience or an empathy within this arena. If they design for difference without a tangible understanding, the product becomes patronising. Or it comes about that we think only in terms of function.”
A keen fashion enthusiast, Burke combines her love for design and beauty with her academic studies. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Trinity College, Dublin on human rights education that explores the voice of the child in school.
You can read her incredible interview in its entirety here.