Following your heart to pursue your passions is the greatest life lesson that Isabella Springmühl, a young woman with Down syndrome, has chosen to give the world by becoming a designer and launching the fashion brand Down to Xjabelle, inspired by her home country, Guatemala.

Read also: What is Down syndrome

How Down to Xjabelle came about

Her passion for fashion began when she was very young, when Isabella would spend hours drawing outfits for her dolls and leafing through fashion magazines. At seventeen, her greatest wish was to turn her love of clothing and fabrics into a genuine profession. Due to her condition, however, she was not allowed to enrol in the university fashion design programme.

More determined than ever to pursue her dream, and with the support of her family, the designer enrolled in a private academy to learn the tricks of the trade and finally devote herself to the world of fashion by founding Down to Xjabelle, her clothing and accessories brand.

A tribute to Guatemala

Down to Xjabelle was created with the aim of providing girls with Down syndrome with clothes that suit their body shape, but that is not all. Isabella dedicates herself to creating bags, jackets and tailored garments using traditional Guatemalan fabrics made by indigenous women who have been hand-weaving the vibrantly coloured textiles of their tradition for years.

Paying tribute to her country and pursuing her project with determination and courage, the designer who is winning over the fashion world with her designs sends an important message: "I want people to look at me for who I am and I want to be an example for all young people with Down syndrome, to whom I would say that, even if everything seems like an uphill struggle at first, you should never give up."

Featured image: Isabella Springmühl wearing pieces from her line © Down to Xjabelle