The fashion industry has come a long way in terms of inclusivity. Today, we can at least say that there are attempts to do away with some prejudices and stereotypes.
The time is ripe now to talk about trans-representation in the modelling world.
From walking for Victoria’s Secret to walking at the New York Fashion Week, here are five trans models who are slaying it like a boss right now.
Leyna is the first openly trans woman to grace the cover of Vogue India. In her late teens, Bloom moved to New York with a dream of making it big in the world of modelling. With over 170k followers on Instagram Bloom, is a fierce advocate in the trans community. Recently, she launched a campaign for fellow trans sisters to be cast in Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
One of the most famous faces in the trans community and the Italian fashion world, Lea was first spotted by Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci. Her success story has encouraged young transgender models o dive into the world of modelling. Recently, Lea was named in ‘Forbes12 Women Who Have Changed Italian Fashion.’
In 2015, Teddy Quinlivan was discovered by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s creative director. So far, the 24-year-old has worked with designers like Carolina Herrera, Jeremy Scott, Louis Vuitton, Alexandre Vauthier, and Jason Wu.
In 2016, Teddy made the big announcement that she was a trans woman in an interview with CNN- Style.
Talking about her background and how things came to be, she told Elle,
“I actually started taking hormones when I was 17. I grew up in Boston and knew early on that I was very much female, despite my anatomy. I would sneak into my mom’s closet and play dress-up. Unbeknownst to my parents, I would change into girls’ clothing and put on makeup once I got to school. I understood at a young age that fashion is about identity and self-expression, and that we convey gender through clothing.”
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In 2017, Rau was Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the month in their November issue. She was also the first openly transgender Playmate. Born in Paris, Ines underwent a sex-reassignment surgery when she was 16. At 24, she came out as a transwoman and since then, has actively advocated for trans rights.
You don’t have to be officially represented by an agency in order to make it to one of the most coveted fashion shows. Dara grew up observing the behind-the-scenes process and watching documentaries. Dara’s big break came with her debut at the Marc Jacobs during the New York Fashion Week. Till now, she has modelled for brands including Coach and R13.
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