TRANS MODELS TO KNOW

Fashion should be a space for acceptance, and while the industry still has a long way to go, it’s encouraging to see transgender and nonbinary people gaining more visibility in major campaigns, fashion shows and magazines. These multi-hyphenates are also blazing trails within activism, TV, film and more – so remember their names…

Andreja Pejic

Having walked in both the menswear and womenswear shows for Jean Paul Gaultier in 2011, Andreja’s androgynous look has defined her career. She came out as trans in 2014, later becoming the first openly trans model to be profiled for Vogue, as well as one of the first trans models to secure a major cosmetics campaign when she signed on as the face of Make Up For Ever in 2015.

Hari Nef

The first trans woman signed to top modelling agency IMG Worldwide, and the first openly transgender person to appear on the cover of a British commercial magazine (ELLE’s September 2016 issue), Hari has since modelled for Interview, Vogue and CR Fashion Book. She’s also starred in the TV shows You and Transparent, as well as the 2018 film Assassination Nation. Talk about multi-talented.

Munroe Bergdorf

An activist for both transgender rights and the Black Lives Matter movement, Munroe speaks out against issues of misrepresentation and racism in the fashion and media industries, winning Changemaker Of The Year at our 2018 Influencer Awards and bagging numerous modelling gigs. She was dropped from a L’Oréal campaign in 2017 after posting about systemic racism on social media. The company has since apologised, and Munroe now sits on its UK diversity and inclusion advisory board.

Dara Allen

Dara became a sought-after face in fashion when she made her catwalk debut for Marc Jacobs as an unsigned model in 2017. Since then, she’s walked for brands including Prabal Gurung, Kenzo and Erdem, as well as appearing on the covers of Candy and i-D magazines.

Nathan Westling

Nathan’s successful career has gone from strength to strength since he walked the Marc Jacobs runway in 2013. He took a break from modelling in 2018 to focus on himself and his health, and began transitioning. Speaking with CNN Style in 2019, Nathan credited his experience in the fashion world with his self-discovery. He has graced the covers of both i-D and Dazed magazines.

Jari Jones

An actress, artist, model and activist, Jari recently graced a giant billboard in New York as part of Calvin Klein’s 2020 Pride campaign. She spoke of the importance this representation has: “I think it’s so important to see the rage and fight, but also to see imagery of what the possibilities can be – imagery of Black joy, trans joy, because often all we see is the negative imagery.”

Casil McArthur

With shoots for GQ France and British Vogue under his belt, Casil has been modelling since he was 10 years old and struggling with gender dysphoria, and began transitioning in his teens. A cosplay enthusiast, he expresses himself through characters.

Aaron Philip

Aaron’s rising career is driven by the lack of representation of both trans women of colour and disability in the fashion media. Last year, she featured in Italian Vogue, shot by Tyler Mitchell, and has also appeared on the cover of Paper magazine. She’s posed for campaigns for Sephora (celebrating the trans and non-binary community) and Dove (focusing on diversity in beauty), and was the face of Jeremy Scott’s A/W 20 Moschino campaign.