Francesca Rausi is an inspiration for all children locally, proving that success can be achieved even by
the youngest amongst us. We meet with Francesca’s parents, Michelle and Roderick Rausi, who tell
us a lot about Francesca and her rise in modelling success.
From the very young age of one, Francesca expressed her interest in camera, as she was being
filmed as part of a story about down syndrome. As soon as she saw the camera, she was
immediately intrigued. In the subsequent years, her passion for modelling was made evidently clear.
Francesca is just six years of age and has already gathered international exposure after modelling
with Madeline Stuart, the world’s first professional model with down syndrome. She was then
approached by People Magazine for an interview, an episode that surprised her parents significantly.
After this interview, she was also featured by Metro, leading to a story which went viral. This
exposure through these renowned channels enabled her international popularity, even earning a
Like on her People Magazine story from Dwayne Johnson!
Francesca’s father highlights that there are several moments where his daughter made them proud.
He emphasises on the different examples, however indicates that one of the proudest moments for
him is “when she was called for the London Fashion Show, where she excelled and showcased her
capabilities”. Roderick also mentions the fact that Francesca has quite an outgoing character and can
clearly illustrate what she wants to achieve.
Francesca also represents renowned brands such as Benna, The Model Shop, Hudson Group, Guess
Group, MUY and Monsoon. Such brands would typically find Francesca through her Instagram
profile. Michelle emphasises that Francesca is pleased to participate in the different activities as she
is not forced into doing anything she does not enjoy. In this respect, she takes a leading role.
In September, Francesca will be participating in the London Fashion Week. She will be modelling for
two designers and her parents are extremely excited!
When commenting about Francesca’s life at school, Michelle states that she has a lot of friends and
integrates well. Her extremely confident character makes it easy for people to approach her.
“Recognising the importance of school for children, the performing arts are vital when it comes to
developing character, especially during the formative years. The performing arts allow children to
express and understand themselves as individuals” said Michelle. She also implores parents to trust
their children, even if they may have conditions. She recommends steering away from
overprotecting children, allowing them to gather invaluable experiences to grow and learn.
