American Girl's festive October catalog features Ivy Kimble, 4-year-old model with Down syndrome, mom’s dream realized
Ivy Kimble, a 4-year-old model with Down syndrome, appeared in the October issue of the American Girl catalog, inspiring people with disabilities from around the world. Kimble, from Illinois, posed alongside another child for the holiday-themed spread in the catalog that advertises new products and accessories for the brand.
Both Kimble and the older model held hands, wearing matching red outfits - the same ones which are worn by a specific type of doll sold by American Girl. Following her daughter's appearance on the catalog, the 4-year-old's mother, Kirstin Kimble, spoke to ABC affiliate WLS about seeing her specially-abled child gracing such a significant platform.
"I have four girls and to have one of them in the [American Girl] catalog is every mother’s dream," she said. "But especially having a child with Down syndrome, there’s not a lot of print or media with a lot of kids with Down syndrome. So it’s a big deal for her. I mean, she’s a cute little girl and she has Down syndrome and she’s in the catalog."
Kirstin added that she hoped more brands would embrace diversity in the future, inviting models like Jack Brumpton, Kate Grand and Sofia Sanchez - who also have Down syndrome - to become the face of their catalogs.
"For us, we want to keep seeing kids of all abilities out there in print," she said. "And I love that these companies are trying to make the conscious effort to continue to put them in print. My hope is that…it stops being a conscious effort and it just becomes natural. They’re just seen everywhere."
Although American Girl has yet to create a doll with Down syndrome, Mattel, which owns the company as well as Barbie, has made an active effort to produce more inclusive toys for children in recent years. Presently, they already make dolls with hearing aids, insulin pumps, wheelchairs, crutches and even service dogs.
