Bionic model Rebekah Marine walks New York Fashion Week runway with 6-year-old 'mini-me'

Rebekah Marine, dubbed the "Bionic Model," strutted the catwalk during New York Fashion Week accompanied by her own "mini-me.” The 29-year-old, who has an i-limb quantum prosthetic right hand, was joined by 6-year-old Gianna Schiavone at the FTL Moda show on Monday. Like Rebekah, the young model was born without a forearm, but on her left arm.

Together, the ladies owned the runway walking hand-in-hand as they modeled Josefa Da Silva gowns. Rebekah told People magazine, "Gianna's my mini-me. She looks like me and she was also born the same way I was.”


She added, "Walking with her meant the world to me. It's almost symbolic of passing the torch to future generations.”

As for Gianna, her favorite part of the show, which was her runway debut, was linking hands with Rebekah. "It was fun because she put her hand out and we got to hold hands and at the finale I got to go up and pose and then she got to take me down,” she said.


The NYFW models met through the non-profit organization Lucky Fin Project – which raises awareness and celebrates individuals who were born with limb differences – and immediately bonded over “fashion” and "everything lip gloss,” Rebekah revealed.

"I've been trying to push the boundaries in the fashion industry, hoping that I can open doors for people like Gianna in the future," the NYFW model veteran said. "It was really cool to incorporate her in the show."

Gianna admitted that walking with Rebekah was “fun because we both have the same thing in common.” The aspiring model added, "Walking with her makes me feel happy because there's not just one me in the world."

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