ueled by countless cups of coffee, Dru Presta is brewing to take over the fashion industry by storm. Somehow, she’s harnessed the power of the sun. She is the embodiment of its warmth and its fiery energy.
Dru grew up in the small town of Reno, Nevada. And, while her roots are deep and her love for her family is strong, she didn’t feel like living up to small town expectations. “There’s no room for creativity or careers in that field,” she explains.
She felt trapped, but she found the opportunity to break away from home to pursue her studies in fashion. “I’m studying fashion marketing. I’m not a designer, but I know how to sew. As a little person, I’ve had to sew and adjust most of my clothes to fit.” Much like scissors to thread, Dru cut herself away from the fabric of her old life and wove her way into the fashion world of Los Angeles.
Dru’s adventurous spirit made some fast friends at school -- she highlights the diversity of the LA area, “Everyone comes from everywhere… a lot of my friends from school are also from out of state.” Dru thrives on the connections she’s made. Her network of friends daily uplifts her, keeping her positive, “They remind me that people [who hate on my success] are just jealous…”
One of the teams that Dru has surrounded herself with is a company called Cur8able founded by her teacher Stephanie Thomas. Cur8able focuses on fashion styling for people with all types of disabilities.
Dru explains her beginnings as a social media intern, “[My] goal for this job wasn’t just originally for the credit for school, but … gaining knowledge of disability stores, clothes that are medically safe, accessible, and of course, fashionable.”
Through Cur8able, Dru met her agent Gail, launching her career in modelling. “Gail represents all disabled people in the entertainment industry, so she finds work for modelling, acting, [etc.] for me that break barriers of all assumptions [made about] people who are disabled.”
“I wanted to find a voice in both fashion and who I was as little person, to be part of this industry and evolve with it,” emphasizes Dru. “I'm an event speaker, model, fashion marketer, and actress in the disability world, discovering and learning new things about this community everyday and meeting amazing beautiful people along the way.”
She remembers her small town life, but she’s glad she’s moved on from it to where she can live her dreams to the fullest. “That’s really all you need, just to surround yourself with the people who are on your team.”
To see more of Dru and her journey please follow her @g0lden.bebe
