From Runway to Campaign: 10 Transgender Models in Fashion Today
Born to slay
The fashion industry still has a long road ahead when it comes to true inclusivity—but its progress in recent years, particularly around transgender representation, deserves recognition. Over the past decade, we’ve seen milestones like Ariel Nicholson becoming the first openly transgender model to appear on the cover of Vogue, Chella Man walking for Calvin Klein, and Andreja Pejić breaking barriers as the first trans female model to front a major beauty campaign.
Today, a new wave of talent is stepping into the spotlight. These 10 models are not only building impressive careers but also using their platforms to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
Kai Schreiber
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Kai Schreiber may be new to the scene, but she’s already making her mark. The daughter of Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts made her runway debut at Valentino’s AW25 show in Paris, followed by a starring role in the brand’s seasonal campaign—quietly signalling the arrival of a new generation.
Colin Jones
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Colin Jones, known as Col the Doll on Instagram, is spearheading a transformative movement in the industry. Born and raised in the Mormon faith, she bravely broke free and transitioned, emerging as a passionate advocate for trans and queer representation. She debuted at Gabriela Hearst’s Autumn/Winter 2022 show and quickly became a sought-after model, walking the runways for brands such as Alexander McQueen, Fendi, and Maison Margiela.
Ella Snyder
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Ella Snyder initially gained recognition as Glenn Martens’ muse for Diesel in 2021 and has since appeared prominently in several campaigns for the brand, including the D by Diesel fragrance and the Diesel Denim Library. The American model also closed Martens’ Spring/Summer 2023 show in Milan in a striking finale outfit.
Alex Consani
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If you have been using TikTok since 2020, you’d definitely have come across comedic queen Alex Consani. Consani, who looks like a splitting image of Hunter Schafer, rose to stardom when she founded her TikTok account and began creating hilarious, laugh-till-your-stomach-hurts videos that appealed to Gen Z. The content that she began creating quickly amassed her over seven hundred thousand followers on that platform alone.
If you pay close attention to her videos, you will come to realise that her followers don’t only stick around for her funny skits, but also for her sense of style that’s reminiscent of the early 2000s with micro skirts and even smaller bags to match the look. Having begun her modelling career in 2015 after being prompted by a Facebook ad, Consani explains that she took part in the industry as a means to show representation for trans individuals everywhere.
Hunter Schafer
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You may have recognised Hunter Schafer from HBO’s Euphoria, but before she became an actress, she actually started as a model and has walked for some of the biggest fashion houses including Dior, Mugler, and Marc Jacobs. In 2021, Prada named her as their new house ambassador, and the following year, she was appointed as the global brand ambassador for Shiseido Makeup. Recently, she became the face of Mugler’s reimagined Angel fragrance line.
Hari Nef
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Hari Nef made her runway debut during New York Fashion Week Spring 2015 and became the first openly transgender woman to be signed by IMG Models. Since then, she has expanded her portfolio to include acting, with roles in Netflix’s You, Acting for a Cause, and Room 104. She also starred as Doctor Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. A scroll through her Instagram reveals how she uses her platform to advocate for transgender rights and visibility.
Ines Rau
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French model Ines Rau made history as the first openly trans Playmate to appear in Playboy. Aside from modelling for brands including Balmain and Hood by Air, she’s also a regular on the Paris Fashion Week front row.
Valentina Sampaio
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Valentina Sampaio created a lot of buzz in 2019 for being Victoria’s Secret’s very first transgender model (a year after its chief marketing officer Ed Razek claimed that the brand would not be casting transsexual models “because the show is a fantasy”). Having graced the covers of international titles and signed with 12 agencies worldwide, the Brazilian model and actress is definitely one to watch.
Teddy Quinlivan
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Theodora ‘Teddy’ Quinlivan’s modelling career took off after she was discovered by Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière in 2015, but it wasn’t until two years later when she came out as a trans woman in an interview with CNN Style. Aside from being one of the top models at the moment, she’s also an outspoken activist who advocates for the transgender community.
Dara Allen
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Dara Allen first made waves as an unsigned model when she walked for Marc Jacobs in 2017. Nearly a decade later, she’s represented by agencies in New York, Paris, Milan, and London. Beyond the runway—where she’s walked for labels like Marni and Prada—Allen now serves as Fashion Director at Interview and has styled celebrities such as Hunter Schafer and Addison Rae.
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