![\"Blind](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/CTC-L-disability-fashion-show-09_232400976.jpg\")
Blind fashion model Monty Rogers gets ready backstage before a fashion show with visually impaired and blind models held at CD Peacock, Aug. 7, 2025, in Oak Brook. (James C. Svehla\/for the Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\nBrenda Nicholson waited in the Nordstrom fitting room, listening intently as the staff described the colors, textures and cut of the outfits hanging on a rack.<\/p>\n
She typically gravitates toward clothing with pops of color, but this time Nicholson selected a gold, mesh-embroidered dress that cut down to her ankles. She chose the outfit based on the staff\u2019s vivid description and the way it felt when she touched the material.<\/p>\n
When a partially blind model\u2019s eyes can\u2019t help, she must rely on her other senses \u2014 touch and hearing, in this case \u2014 to help ready her for the runway.<\/p>\n
Nicholson was one of 10 visually impaired models who walked in the Beautiful Lives Fashion Show earlier this month at the CD Peacock Mansion in Oak Brook. The inaugural event celebrated the idea that everyone can enjoy clothing \u2014 even if they experience it in a different way than most.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood fashion feels like the textures that send tingling sensations through your fingers,\u201d said Beautiful Lives Project co-founder Bryce Weiler, who has been blind since birth. \u201cTextures mean something.\u201d<\/p>\n
The show\u2019s models were students at the Chicago-based Illinois Center of Rehabilitation and Education-Wood, which offers vocational and life skills training for blind and visually impaired adults. Students can receive instruction on everything from cooking and computers to reading braille and crossing eight-lane streets.<\/p>\n
The event gave many participants their first exposure to modeling \u2014 something several said they had never considered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs the runway ready for me?\u201d model Monty Rogers, who lost his sight more than three years ago, asked his fellow models.<\/p>\n
Rogers said he has always had a sense of style. Prior to selecting his runway outfit, he wore a patterned kilt with \u201cpride colors\u201d and knee-high socks.<\/p>\n
A former telephone engineer and photographer, Rogers motioned to his outfit: \u201cI still have aesthetics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Blind fashion model Monty Rogers gets ready backstage before a fashion show with visually impaired and blind models held at CD Peacock, Aug. 7, 2025, in Oak Brook. (James C. Svehla\/for the Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
Rogers, who feels almost all his clothes before buying, selected jeans and a striped, navy blue sweater with a soft jacket. The sweater\u2019s collar, lifted and distinct from the sweater\u2019s main material, framed his neck, which was accessorized with a thin chain.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m blind as hell and I\u2019m still a fashionista,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In a \u201cvacation vibe\u201d salmon shirt with khaki pants, Lawrence Lacy made his runway debut alongside experienced model Jennifer Cruz, the reigning Mrs. Illinois International 2025. Moments before walking, Lacy, who\u2019s blind, gave Cruz tips on one aspect of runway modeling that she had never encountered: how to be his guide.<\/p>\n
On a daily basis, Lacy said he uses the application \u201cBe My Eyes,\u201d to assist in planning outfits. The app helps users who are blind or have low vision by providing visual descriptions of daily tasks such as navigating unfamiliar surroundings and explaining the color of an object.<\/p>\n
From his clothing needs, Lacy uses the \u201cBe My Eyes\u201d to match outfits to a hanger, including specifics, \u201clike the color (patches) on his socks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prior to the show, runway walkers filled out surveys, describing the styles, textures, feelings and colors they wanted to showcase most. The show\u2019s organizer, 16\u2013year-old Aria Holtzman, then worked with the Nordstrom staff to select outfits that matched the model\u2019s personal style.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of models wanted patterns,\u201d Holtzman said.<\/p>\n
Holtzman also accessorized the outfits with shoes and jewelry, borrowed from CD Peacock, to complete the looks.<\/p>\n
![\"Volunteer](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/CTC-L-disability-fashion-show-07_232400812.jpg\")
Volunteer Kate Visser and blind fashion model Jakar Robinson walk the the runway during the fashion show with visually impaired and blind models held at CD Peacock, Aug. 7, 2025, in Oak Brook. (James C. Svehla\/for the Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
The Hinsdale teen, who is beginning her junior year at Culver Academies in Indiana, came up with the idea for the show after attending a summer camp at Vogue\u2019s New York office. She came home inspired to make fashion accessible for everyone regardless of their abilities or medical conditions. With the support of her father \u2014 CD Peacock Chairman Steven Holtzman \u2014 she teamed up with Weiler and the Beautiful Lives Project.<\/p>\n
Along with Beautiful Lives Project co-founders Weiler and Michael Gudino, Holtzman worked with CD Peacock interior designers to make sure the event space resembled a runway and was clear of obstacles that could prove difficult for models and spectators as they moved around the mansion\u2019s first floor. She also ensured the 6-foot-wide runway was wide enough for both the models and their escorts.<\/p>\n
With just 39 days to put on the show, Holtzman wrote the script and served as the evening\u2019s emcee. She also encouraged the models to make their own personalized introductions before they headed down the runway.<\/p>\n
After Holtzman introduced Lacy, he took the microphone and offered a short message of appreciation. He thanked the ICRE-W program and the Beautiful Lives Project for \u201ctransforming me into the person you see before you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust know that anything that you love, that gets a little help, you can be a part of,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n
Rogers, during his runway walk, sang a rendition of \u201cFeeling Good\u201d to the spectators\u2019 delight.<\/p>\n
\u201cMonty lives his life knowing that the only thing he can\u2019t do is see, \u201d Holtzman told the audience. But Roger wasn\u2019t the only model with a talent to display.<\/p>\n
Nicholson, who lives in downstate Bellview, was the night\u2019s last model, concluding her walk with a dance to Rebirth Brass Band\u2019s \u201cDo Whatcha Wanna.\u201d Before her stepping onto the runway, organizers reminded her of the song\u2019s six-minute duration,<\/p>\n
\u201cI can do it,\u201d she said without hesitation.<\/p>\n
Nicholson substituted her white cane for a translucent umbrella as the music played. The audience rhythmically clapped to keep the beat.<\/p>\n
Although the music was cut off by applause before the full song could end, Nicholson said she \u201cwas born dancing to this.\u201d She could do it in her sleep, she said.<\/p>\n
The models kept their Nordstrom clothing, which had been purchased for them by the Holtzman family.<\/p>\n
Although this is the first fashion show the Beautiful Lives Project participated in, Weiler said he hopes for other opportunities like it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are surrounded by people who want to help (others) live out their dreams,\u201d he said. \u201cTo help you to find employment, and to say that there are no barriers that can hold someone back with a disability.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brenda Nicholson waited in the Nordstrom fitting room, listening intently as the staff described the colors, textures and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":151504,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5124],"tags":[88878,30070,88879,960,60374,5386,1818,88880,75880],"class_list":{"0":"post-151503","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago","8":"tag-beautiful-lives-project","9":"tag-blind","10":"tag-cd-peacock","11":"tag-chicago","12":"tag-fashion-show","13":"tag-il","14":"tag-illinois","15":"tag-peacock-mansion","16":"tag-visually-impaired"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115040633902700915","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}