FYI, This Model Is About to Change the Entire Fashion Industry (in a Good Way!)
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When IMG Models signed on to represent 28-year-old Jillian Mercado, we immediately added her to the top of our "models to watch" list — a spot shared by the likes of Taylor Hill and Gigi Hadid. Mercado, an NYC resident with muscular dystrophy, started her modeling career with a Diesel campaign . . . and she simply hasn't stopped. Read on for seven reasons she's our latest fashion obsession, and don't blame us when you develop a serious girl-crush!
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She's already a New York Fashion Week staple.
Mercado attended some of the biggest shows at both NYFW and NYMFW this year, grabbing the attention of street style photographers and designers alike. Get used to seeing her in the front row!
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Her blog is a must-follow.
If you're not already following Jillian's Tumblr, Manufactured 1987, you're missing out on some quality fashion and beauty content. Including homemade GIFs (like this one!) that show off behind-the-scenes peeks from shoots and parties, Manufactured 1987 is a dream come true for tech-savvy fashionistas.
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She knows how to hang with A-listers.
While shooting their Diesel campaign together, Jillian and Colton Haynes became friends. After she signed with IMG, the actor showed his support for Jillian on Instagram, saying: "I'm so incredibly proud of my friend [Jillian] for getting signed to #imgmodels . Another day, another dream come true. Congratulations :) Celebrate soon!"
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She's got serious fashion chops.
Jillian studied merchandising management at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology, hoping to enter the magazine publishing world. She also spent three years working for We the Urban, an aesthetically pleasing online magazine that heralds new fashion and lifestyle trends.
She's got a "go big or go home" attitude.
"If I'm going to do this, I'm not going to disappear," the model has said of her career, refusing to let her disability become a novelty within the fashion industry. With a Diesel campaign, several Nordstrom ads, a Models.com spotlight, and various magazine shoots under her belt, Mercado leaves zero room for doubt about her prowess as a fashion figure.
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She's changing the industry in the BEST way.
"Growing up I didn't think of [modeling] as being a possibility, and I was a little scared about throwing myself into it," Jillian told The Wall Street Journal. "When I was younger, I didn't see anyone out there like me doing this very thing." Now, she represents everybody out there who never dreamed that high-fashion modeling could be a reality.
Jillian churns out consistently fierce photos for top brands, never letting muscular dystrophy get in the way of her dream. By creating visibility for differently abled members of the fashion world, Mercado is opening the door for aspiring models of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.
She's got insanely cool personal style.
One scroll through Mercado's Instagram is all the proof you need that she's got superb taste. From graphic prints to metallic Dr. Martens, it's clear from Jillian's street style snaps that her closet is a wonderland.