Trans Women Are Representin' During NY Fashion Week

It's Fashion Week in New York.   It's the twice yearly time when for a week tents pop up in Bryant Park to host the fashion shows in which designers show off their fall collections (during the spring shows) and Spring 2015 collections.

Models in the runup to those shows are visiting casting directors with the goal of working to rip the runways for the hottest designers, and fashion magazine editors and the cable channels dishing on fashion news seek to capture it all. 

The same thing is repeated in the other major fashion capitals of London, Paris and Milan.  There are also shows in regional fashion capitals like Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro as well.

There has been a long tradition going back to the early 60's of transfeminine models ripping those runways, and this year is no exception.   

From the groundbreaking Barney's campaign featuring 17 trans models to Ines Rau's steamy shoot with Tyson Beckford followed by a solo Playboy one, it's been an interesting tipping point year for trans models. 

We've had Geena Rocero, Ines Rau and supermodel Andreja Pejic coming out as trans. Carmen Carrera is getting attention for her stated goal of wanting to become the first transgender Victoria's Secret Angel.  Our girl Isis King is still in the game, has designed and shown a collection  and will be walking a few shows herself. 

Designer Ari South we were introduced to courtesy of the Project Runway reality TV show and Arisce Wanzer is another girl like us model starting to get attention . 

Tim Gunn can hate on trans models all he wants, but it has been wonderful to witness in the fashion world something that used to be considered the kiss of death for your modeling career if your trans feminine status was revealed now seeming to be a career booster.

So for all our trans models and transpeeps handling their business during Fashion Week, best of luck to you.  Keep strutting down the path your trans modeling elders blazed for you, and keep representing yourselves and our community to the best of your ability.