Designer with Down Syndrome

When Maxine Simeone walks into a room, she struts in with so much confidence, it’s almost like there’s an invisible trail of glitter following behind her. The accessories designer with Down syndrome brings the #sparkles and her trademark smile everywhere she goes; a walking contradiction of the person others predicted Maxine would be.
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“When I found out I was carrying her and who she was going to be, the world came in to tell me all she wasn’t going to be,” says Deborah Simeone, Maxine’s mother. “[Some doctors] said she shouldn’t even be here. Could you imagine if she wasn’t here?”
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Luckily for us, Deborah has always encouraged Maxine to thrive and pursue what she loves. Even as a young child, Maxine always needed a creative outlet and loved dancing, fashion and creating one-of-a-kind (often bedazzled) gifts and accessories.

Never one to miss an opportunity to grow as an entrepreneur, Maxine convinced her mom to bring her to craft shows and let her sell the blinged-out headbands, hair clips and handcrafted gifts Maxine had been busy creating. In fact, Maxine would wear one of her own creations every day, a walking billboard for her creativity and hot-glue-gun-mastery.
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In 2019, Maxine was commissioned to create 100+ headbands for an event hosted by Help Us Gather (or HUG, for short), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Clearwater, Florida. HUG advocates for the inclusion of individuals with special needs, helping talented people with disabilities achieve the success and equality they deserve. The HUG team loved Maxine’s designs so much, they wanted to share the glam goodies with the attendees at one of HUG’s largest community outreach events of the year. Maxine’s headbands were a huge hit, filling the room with some much-needed sparkle on the heads of attendees young and old alike.
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After the successful event, the HUG team approached Maxine with an offer to help her expand her reach and develop her brand. Of course, being the savvy businesswoman she is, Maxine said, “That sounds fabulous!” HUG helped Maxine develop her brand identity with a logo, business plan and social media presence. HUG also gave Maxine pointers on ensuring product consistency, developing her brand’s voice, interacting with customers, keeping track of inventory and much more.

In September of 2019, Maxine’s dream of running her own business became a reality. Her brand, Sparkles by Maxine, received prime placement with her artisan, hand-crafted hair accessories placed for sale near the front desk at Poolside Sand Key, a fashion-forward retail boutique in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Poolside is a well-known business with an established client base, focusing on high-end resort wear and accessories. Maxine’s beautiful designs are a perfect pair to go with Poolside’s bright, colorful clothing.
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Since her business launch at Poolside, Maxine has been consistently selling out of her merchandise at Poolside. She continues to stock the store with her latest Sparkles by Maxine creations, as well as fulfilling orders from around the country on her Etsy storefront.
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Sparkles by Maxine has been featured on TV stations and online publications around the United States and the world, with outlets in countries like Poland translating her story and singing the praises of this inspiring Boss Lady with Down syndrome. Maxine is proof that being born with an intellectual or developmental disability shouldn’t stop anyone from achieving their dreams.
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In Maxine’s words: “I work my butt off. I deserve it!”