Inclusion in fashion isn’t just about seeing a broader range of faces, it’s about changing how the industry thinks about talent, value, and who belongs. Zebedee Talent was built on that idea. The agency began as a conversation between two women — Laura Winson, a social worker, and Zoe Proctor, a performing arts teacher. Both had worked closely with disabled people and saw firsthand how underrepresented they were in media, advertising, and fashion. During a walk on the beach, they asked a simple question: why are people with disabilities still so invisible in this space?
“They were having a bit of a moan,” says Sue, Client Manager at Zebedee. “They were just saying, why do we never see disabled models in fashion magazines? Why aren’t agencies representing them?”
With no clear answer, and no one else addressing it, they decided to start something themselves. That same day, they opened a laptop and began what would become Zebedee Talent.
They gave themselves six months to try. Today, the agency has grown far beyond that early experiment. It now operates internationally, with offices in the UK, USA, and Australia, and a team that represents hundreds of models and creatives with disabilities, visible differences, and other underrepresented identities. But its founding question still guides its work.
“Twenty percent of the population has a disability,” says Sue, Zebedee’s Client Manager. “Yet only a fraction of advertising reflects that. Our aim is to shift the numbers — to see 20 percent of media and campaigns include disabled people.”
What sets Zebedee apart is not just who they represent, but how. They don’t wait to be asked for disabled talent. They put forward whoever fits the brief, whether or not a client mentions disability.
“If we get a brief for a size 8 blonde model, we’ll send all our size 8 blondes,” Sue says. “Whether they’re a wheelchair user, have a limb difference, are deaf or blind, they’re included. That’s what true inclusion looks like.”
This direct approach has been key to shifting how casting is done. But it’s not always an easy sell.
“We’ve heard it all,” Sue says. “We’ve had clients say they won’t accept wheelchair users for a head-and-shoulders beauty shot, when the wheelchair wouldn’t even be visible. We’ve had people say they’ll work with a little girl with Down syndrome, but not an adult.”
Much of this reluctance, she believes, comes from fear, fear of doing something wrong, using the wrong language, or facing criticism. In response, Zebedee doesn’t just supply talent; it also advises clients and helps guide them through the process of inclusive casting.
Some parts of the industry have responded well. High street brands such as Target, Primark, Zalando, and Schuh have become regular collaborators. They treat inclusion as an ongoing commitment, not a one-time campaign. “These companies come back, not because they’re being pressured to do so, but because they believe in it,” Sue says. “That kind of consistency is what we need more of.”
Outside of casting, Zebedee provides support through training, workshops, and events. This includes acting classes, creative development, and opportunities for models to connect and support each other. For many, it’s not just about work, it’s about confidence and community. “It’s like a big family,” Sue explains. “We want our talent to have lasting careers, not just one-off moments.”
And it’s working. Ellie Goldstein, a model with Down syndrome, became the first person with a disability to grace the cover of British Vogue . She’s now written an autobiography and a children’s book, bought a house, and worked with over 100 brands. “She’s smashing it,” Sue says simply.
Yet many barriers remain. The luxury fashion market, in particular, has shown little interest in inclusion.
“We haven’t seen engagement from brands like Prada or Dior,” Sue says. “And fashion weeks, in London and beyond, have not yet made space for disabled models on the runway.”
Accessibility also remains a practical issue. Studios sometimes describe themselves as accessible, only for models to find steep ramps, unusable restrooms, or poorly adapted locations. Transportation, especially in major cities like London, adds another layer of difficulty.
In recent years, Zebedee has expanded its mission beyond modeling. The agency is building a roster of disabled creatives behind the scenes — photographers, stylists, makeup artists, and crew. They believe that representation needs to happen at every stage of production, not just in front of the camera.
The agency’s work is grounded in its belief that the industry won’t change unless expectations do. For Zebedee, disability isn’t a separate conversation — it’s part of the broader conversation about who gets to be seen, heard, and included.
Asked what advice she would give to someone from the disabled community who wants to enter the fashion or media industries, Sue keeps it simple:
“If you want to do something, anything is possible. You’ve just got to try it. The industry is getting better,” Sue says. “You don’t know what’s out there for you until you go for it.”
Zebedee was built on the idea that the absence of representation is not something to accept. Seven years later, it continues to prove that inclusion doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be intentional. And that change, once seen as unlikely, is now very much in motion.
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