On the catwalk 19 autistic models to tell a new beauty story
Eyes on the catwalk, excitement in the air and thunderous applause: the second edition of Beyond Words, the inclusive fashion show organized by the association Modelli si Nasce, was staged in Rome, in the evocative setting of the Salone delle Fontane at Eur. The event, held on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, brought nineteen autistic boys and girls on the catwalk, the true protagonists of an evening that combined fashion, art and social awareness.
Conceived and directed by Rossano Giuppa, in close collaboration with Manuel Sirianni – a young autistic poet and writer as well as a member of the association – the fashion show was much more than a glamorous event: it was a strong statement against social invisibility, an invitation to look at the world of neurodivergence with new eyes and an open mind.
A tale of emotions, fashion and poetry
Hosted by journalist Eleonora Daniele, the evening was attended by several well-known faces from the world of entertainment, including Margareth Madè, Giuseppe Zeno, Vittoria Schisano, Giulia Bevilacqua, Paola Minaccioni, Diane Fleury, Fabius DeVivo and Michele Ragno. Guests read excerpts from Fantasie e non solo…, the book signed by Manuel Sirianni, which collects five imaginative tales born from his inner world and designed to offer others hope, freedom and well-being.
The stories inspired the creativity of five designers, Migale Couture, Leonardo Valentini, Alchètipo by Andrea Alchieri, Simon Cracker and Chronos Corps, joined by brands Calla for footwear and Kyme for eyewear. The result? A catwalk that was able to transform inclusion into aesthetics, empathy into style.
“I met Manuel a year and a half ago,” said Rossano Giuppa in a moved voice, “and since then my way of communicating has changed. He is the one who guided me in directing this parade. With his stories he offers us a new and powerful voice, capable of reaching straight to the heart.”
Institutional commitment: “Breaking down barriers with fashion”
The initiative had the patronage of the Department of Major Events, Tourism, Sports and Fashion of Roma Capitale, strongly supported by Councillor Alessandro Onorato, who stressed the importance of offering spaces for concrete expression to those who are often excluded.
“Also this year, on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day, we decided to support this event, because we believe in fashion as a vehicle for social inclusion,” Onorato said from the stage. “We have realized the dream of 35 autistic children between the fashion show and the exhibition, taking them to symbolic places in the city, such as the Salone delle Fontane and Palazzo Braschi. Fashion must become a language that speaks to everyone, without barriers.”
A look that goes beyond words
In parallel to the fashion show, the Beyond Words project is also enriched by a photography exhibition of the same name, curated by Federica Trotta Mureau, which opened on April 2, 2025 – the symbolic date of World Autism Awareness Day – at the Museum of Rome in Palazzo Braschi. The exhibition, with free admission and open to the public until April 21, offers a visual and poetic journey created through the shots of Danilo Falà: images that tell the invisible essence of autistic identity, revealed through the power of art.
Also accompanying the exhibition was a short film signed by director Federico Papagna, with graphic direction by Daria Reina and Andrea Ferolla. Overall production was supervised by Rossano Giuppa as project manager.
Silvia Cento, president of the association Modelli si Nasce, and Giuppa himself also spoke during the presentation press conference. Cento said, “This is not just a fashion show, but an opportunity to change perspectives. We want to create more and more opportunities for the value of autistic people to be known and recognized by everyone.”
A new idea of beauty
Beyond Words is part of a broader process of reflection on representation and diversity in the world of fashion, which for too long has been the mouthpiece of exclusive and homologating models. With this initiative, Rome-and in particular the work of the association Modelli si Nasce-is a candidate to become a point of reference for a culture of authentic inclusion.
The boys and girls who went up the catwalk were not “an exception,” but the living expression of a new beauty: that which comes from authenticity, the freedom to be oneself, and the desire to tell one’s story even beyond words.
