Denver's star-studded Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show takes center stage

The annual "Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show" benefitting the Global Down Syndrome Foundation is Saturday, Oct. 18, in downtown Denver. GLOBAL co-founder and CEO Michelle Sie Whitten and self-advocate and fashion show model Clarissa Capuano joined CBS Colorado Mornings on Friday to talk about the event and the organization.

The event's 2025 honorees include actor and self-advocate Kevin Lannucci and award-winning actress Jane Lynch. 

The highlight of the evening is a fashion show featuring 21 models with Down syndrome and their celebrity escorts. 

Since launching in 2008, the event has raised more than $30 million for research and medical care. 

According to GLOBAL, the foundation donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute, supporting more than 400 scientists and more than 2,500 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries.