Fashion

18 Transgender models who are making their mark in the fashion industry

Happy Pride!

04.07.2024

By Buro Malaysia

Featured Images: @col_thedoll/Instagram
18 Transgender models who are making their mark in the fashion industry

We can all agree that the fashion industry still has a long way to go in terms of inclusivity, but that said, the progress it has made in recent years is not to be ignored, especially when it comes to transgender representation. In 2019, Victoria’s Secret made waves by casting its first transgender model, Valentina Sampaio. And according to The Fashion Spot’s runway diversity report, the Autumn/Winter 2022 runway saw a 1.34 per cent increase in trans casting compared to last year at 59 models out of 4,409 in total.

Below are 18 transgender models who are not only making an impact in the fashion industry with their successful careers but also actively using their platforms to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.

 

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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Meet Ella Snyder, a trailblazing model, artist, content creator, and transgender rights activist! The American model initially gained recognition as Glenn Martens’ muse for Diesel in 2021 and has since featured prominently in multiple campaigns for the brand, including the D by Diesel fragrance and the Diesel Denim Library. She even closed Martens’ Spring/Summer 2023 show in Milan with a stunning 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.

 

Ariel Nicholson

Born in 2001, Ariel Nicholson is the first openly transgender model to be featured on the cover of Vogue Magazine. She has also been featured in Vogue Italia and Love Magazine. Having chosen to transition at an early age, Nicholson also began her career in modelling pretty young as well, identifying as a woman.

Nicholson signed on with DNA Management while she was still in high school, and made her debut on the runway by walking for Calvin Klein in 2018 for the brand’s Spring/Summer show. Since her first show, she has also gone on to walk for brands like Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu. In her downtime, Nicholson spends her days volunteering at the Gender & Family Project, an organisation that works to help support transgender youth and their family members.

 

Chella Man

 

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Gaining notoriety after his portrayal as Jericho in the DC Universe series Titans, Chella Man has become the face of activism for marginalised communities. Being trans himself, Man, who is an actor and a model, has dedicated his time towards the education and solidarity of individuals who are bicultural, transgender and hearing impaired. Man joined IMG in 2019 and has walked for the likes of Calvin Klein, Gap and American Eagle, while also modelling for magazines such as Dazed and Gay Times.

 

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 and Mugler. 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.

 

Indya Moore

 

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American actor and model Indya Moore is a transgender non-binary and has become a widely recognisable face in both the fashion world and in Hollywood circles. Having left their family and home at a very young age due to transphobia, Moore entered the foster care system and it was in this period that they began modelling as a means to survive and make ends meet. Although they started out working as a model, having shot for Gucci and Dior as well as walked for Telfar, Indiya is now focusing on her acting career.

 

Hari Nef

 

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Hari Nef made her runway debut during New York Fashion Week Spring 2015 and was subsequently the first trans woman to be signed to IMG Models a few months later. Six years on, she has extended her portfolio to acting with a recurring role in Season One of You, and a few appearances in series including Acting for a Cause and Room 104. A scroll through her Instagram and you’ll notice she also uses her influence to educate transgender rights.

 

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.

 

Andreja Pejić

 

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Andreja Pejić, the Bosnian-Australian model, was one of the first androgynous male models in the industry, having walked for major labels including Jean-Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs. After coming out as a transgender woman in 2014, she continued to make history as the first trans female model to front a major makeup campaign (for Make Up For Ever).

 

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.

 

Laith Ashley

 

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Laith Ashley first came onto the radar when famed photographer Bruce Weber shot him in Barney’s campaign in 2013, and seven years later, in addition to being a model, he has also acted in LGBT shows Strut and Pose, and released a few singles over the years. Laith has also actively participated in many LGBTQ public awareness campaigns.

 

Nathan Westling

 

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Nathan Westling was already one of the top models in the industry, having walked and fronted campaigns for the biggest fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Prada, and Alexander McQueen. After taking a hiatus for a year, he revealed his transgender identity in a 2019 CNN Style interview. He walked in Helmut Lang and Michael Kors’ shows during New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020.

 

Lea T

 

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Did you know the ‘T’ in Lea T‘s name stands for (Riccardo) Tisci? She has been the muse of the Italian designer ever since he casted her in the Givenchy Autumn/Winter 2010 campaign, and has continued to be featured in his works, including Burberry’s festive campaign in November 2019.

 

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.

 

Casil McArthur

 

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Casil McArthur started modelling at the age of 10 as a little girl but transitioned when he was 16. Previously, he walked for Coach and Marc Jacobs and was featured in Milk Makeup and Kenneth Cole campaigns.

 

Dara Allen

 

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Dara Allen first made waves as an unsigned model who walked for Marc Jacobs back in 2017, but three years on, she’s now represented by four agencies in four big cities. She has continued to walk for brands such as Coach, Dion Lee, and Prabal Gurung, on top of starring in campaigns by Salvatore Ferragamo, Alexander McQueen and more.

 

Krow Kian

 

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Krow Kian stepped out as a transgender male model and opened Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2019 show in September 2018. Six months later, the 24-year-old was back on the same catwalk, closing the French Maison’s Autumn/Winter 2020 show. Since then, he has worked with major brands including Proenza Schouler, Balmain, and Alexander McQueen, and he’s undoubtedly one of the rising names in the modelling world.

 

 

 

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