Meet the Model With a Bionic Arm Who Will Walk in NY Fashion Week

Instagram/@rebekahmarine

According to People Magazine, Rebekah Marine, who was born without a right forearm, will be walking in New York Fashion Week this year. As a child, Marine was told that modeling could never be a career for her, but the 28 year-old has proved those people wrong.

“It's been quite a journey for me. It was hard at first to put myself out there for the whole world to see,” she tells People Magazine. “But I've become quite comfortable with myself now, and I'm the happiest I've ever been.”

Marine received her i-limb quantum prosthetic hand six years ago. The decision stemmed from her desire to make her day-to-day life easier. The bionic arm also played a pivotal role in making her feel more confident and less self-consciousness. As a child, Marine was turned down by several modeling agencies which, undoubtedly, affected her self-esteem.

“It didn't go very well, of course, when casting directors noticed my disability,” Marine said. “Hearing the words 'You'll never have a future in the business,' really hit me hard.”

Now Marine is in a much better place, and her modeling career has been slowly building. She walked in February's NYFW, and she was also featured in Nordstrom's 2015 anniversary catalog. Currently, Marine is represented by Models of Diversity.

As an ambassador for the Lucky Fin Project, Marine hopes to bring more awareness and support for people born with limb differences.

Despite her recent success, Marine still faces many adversities in the fashion world. She was recently turned down by an agency even though she thought her modeling portfolio was strong.

In an interview with Mashable, Marine said: “It's so important to include more diverse models, because after all, nearly one in five people in America have a disability.” Although Marine celebrates her own individuality, she feels as if more needs to be done on a larger platform. “We should be celebrating uniqueness, not conforming to what the media thinks is beautiful,” she said.

Marine will walk in the FTL Moda show on September 13th.