Special Olympics Great Britain athlete Lily Mills recently swapped the tennis court for the catwalk, starring in the iconic London Fashion Week.
Lily, who has been part of the Special Olympics GB family for nearly 10 years and has won gold medals at the 2019 and 2023 Special Olympics World Games, took part in the Future of Fashion showcase hosted by Bullock Inclusion CIC.
Held at St Mary’s Marylebone, the event celebrated inclusion, accessibility, and representation across the fashion industry, with Lily modelling outfits from international designers on the runway.
Walking the runway makes me feel empowered, and I hope it inspires people to see beauty in diversity.
Lily’s journey to the catwalk at such a world-renowned event grew out of her passion for tennis.
She began playing regularly at Islington Tennis Club at the age of 12, where she met Mark Bullock — a champion for disability tennis and LTA coach — who became her sports mentor.
His wife, Samantha Bullock, a former wheelchair tennis doubles silver medallist at the 2007 ParaPanAm Games and founder of Bullock Inclusion CIC, later created opportunities for Lily to explore modelling.
“Samantha really inspired me,” Lily explained. “Seeing her confidence and the way she uses fashion as a platform for advocacy made me want to try modelling myself.”
Since then, Lily has taken part in several modelling opportunities and now boasts London Fashion Week among her achievements. Looking ahead, having also competed at the last two Australia Open tennis tournaments, she is determined to continue combining both her passions.
"In five years, I see myself continuing to improve in tennis, winning more gold medals for my country,” Lily said. “In modelling, I would love to be on the cover of Vogue. That would be a dream come true.”