Brandon Farbstein is a renowned empowerment speaker, Gen Z activist, and author who was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism at the age of 2 (metatropic dysplasia). He has turned his life experience of suffering, isolation, and victimhood into empowerment, impact, and influence. The CFDA is thrilled to have Brandon join us for our upcoming webinar series on Adaptive Fashion which you can register for here. He shares more about his life and experience with fashion below.

Describe your relationship with fashion? 

First impressions have always been very important to me, so I’m pretty particular about what I wear. I feel more confident when I step out into the world wearing something not only comfortable but stylish. The right clothing amplifies my true personality and how I show up in the world.

What have been some of your greatest challenges when it comes to getting dressed and expressing yourself through fashion? 

As someone living with a rare form of dwarfism and standing at just under 4’ tall, finding clothes that not only fit me physically but represent my personality have been especially difficult. I have to rely on finding youth sizes that often times are not reflective of something a young adult would want to wear. Being able to express myself through fashion is so important to me because I want my clothing to be reflective of my personal brand which celebrates elevating empathy and embraces uniqueness as our superpower. Frequently I am hired by those decades older than me and I want to exude maturity and confidence in my style; it has been extremely difficult to find clothing that allows me to do that.

Is there a time where you felt like a fashion brand understood your needs as a person with dwarfism and what was it about the design of that item that made you feel like it was made for you? 

Truthfully, I have never felt like I’ve been fully understood as someone with dwarfism by a fashion brand.

What was the catalyst to you becoming an activist?

After experiencing severe cyberbullying in high school, I decided to speak up and share my story and testified in front of various committees at the Virginia General Assembly. I was 17 and 18 and at that time didn’t have much of a platform – but subsequently was able to help bring forth two new laws; one on bullying prevention and the other requiring empathy and EQ to be added to the public school curriculum. It’s now in every K-12 classroom across the state. What I love from that story is the example that we all individually have the ability to create change. We don’t need to be a celebrity, philanthropist, or c-suite executive. Sometimes, all it takes is one person speaking their truth and being authentic about their experience to create positive transformation and a wave of empathy.

What have been some of your proudest moments/accomplishments working as an activist?

At the age of 15, I had the opportunity to give a TED talk, which was the first time I stepped on stage as myself and vulnerably shared my experience. It was in that talk that I discovered my purpose and mission to elevate empathy and ultimately began my journey from there. A year after, I helped pass the two new laws in VA. Instagram named me in their #19Under19 as one of the 19 most influential teens in the world. That recognition not only meant so much to me but it also amplified my voice and platform exponentially all over the world. I’m also particularly proud of my book Ten Feet Tall that I released at 19 as well, where I not only go deeper on my story but also share what it took to get me here – the mindset shifts, tools, and life lessons that shaped me into who I am and how those can be universally applicable.

How did you feel after walking in your first runway show with Runway of Dreams? 

Walking in the Runway of Dreams show was a pivotal moment for me. It made me feel a sense of pride and worthiness to shine in my skin in a way that I had never experienced before. I am extremely grateful to be a part of this extraordinary mission and to be able to show the world the beauty of being different!

Register for all four webinars:

An Introduction to Adaptive Fashion | January 14 @ 12:00PM EDT

Learning From The Leaders | January 21 @ 12pm EDT

Learning From The Researches | January 28 @ 12PM EDT

Learning From The People | February 4 @ 12PM EDT