by Alix Coe - June 2025
In recent years, powerful strides in diversity and inclusion have been made throughout the fashion industry.
It’s now possible to see bodies of all sizes and people of all genders rightfully taking up space on the runway. This is thanks in no small part to the influential people steering the fashion world into the future.
Famous Non-Binary and Transgender Models
This article highlights 13 famous non-binary and transgender models who are helping to create a more inclusive future in the fashion industry.
Here, you can learn more about their background, modeling history, and efforts to promote inclusivity and acceptance on the runway and beyond.
Alex Consani
Alex Consani is an American model and social media personality who, at just 21, has already made a significant impact on the fashion industry. Her unique blend of high-fashion modelling and social media antics has propelled her to widespread recognition.
Consani signed with Slay Model Management at just 13, becoming the youngest-ever signed trans model. In 2019, she moved to join IMG Models, a prestigious international modelling agency.
Consani expanded her influence during the pandemic by creating comedic and relatable content on TikTok, amassing over three million followers by 2024. Her authentic approach resonated with a diverse audience, enhancing her profile and reputation.This unstoppable young model has walked for renowned designers such as Tom Ford, Versace, and Alexander McQueen. Notably, in October 2024, Consani and Valentina Sampaio became the first transgender models to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, marking a massive shift in the industry's inclusivity movement.
In December 2024, Consani made history again by becoming the first transgender woman to win Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. This accolade recognised her contributions to fashion and her role in promoting diversity and representation.
Follow Alex Consani on TikTok and Instagram.
Hunter Schafer
Hunter Schafer began her modelling career in the late 2010s, quickly gaining recognition for her striking features and confident presence on the runway.
Her elegantly androgynous look and ability to convey emotion through fashion make her a favourite among designers and photographers. She has walked for some of the most prestigious fashion houses, including Prada, Dior, Gucci, and Versace.
While Schafer’s acting career, particularly as Jules Vaughn in Euphoria, has brought her widespread fame, she maintains a strong presence in the fashion industry. She’s a sought-after model for luxury brands and frequently collaborates with designers on creative projects.
Beyond her runway work, Schafer has also been a powerful advocate for transgender representation in the fashion industry. She has used her platform to push for greater inclusivity in the industry, emphasising the importance of authentic representation for transgender and non-binary models. As a public figure who openly discusses her gender identity and experiences, Schafer inspires audiences worldwide while challenging outdated beauty standards.
Her unique blend of modelling, activism, and artistic vision has solidified her status as one of the most compelling figures in contemporary fashion.
Follow Hunter Schafer on TikTok and Instagram.
Grace Valentine
American non-binary model Grace Valentine is signed to Chapter Management — a boutique modelling agency based in London. They are also on the books of HEROS Model Management in New York and Oui Management in Paris.
Valentine has participated in high-profile runway shows for both men's and women's wear collections. In 2023, they walked the Zegna Spring show in Milan in menswear, not long after taking to the runway for Sacai’s Mens & Resort Show. Also in 2023, they were featured in Zara’s Spring/Summer collection and hit the runway for Victoria Beckham, Paco Rabanne, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, and Palm Angels.
Last year, they landed several top modeling jobs, including walking for the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2025 Show and the 7 For All Mankind Holiday 2024 Campaign.
So far in 2025, Valentine has been featured in Vogue and appeared in the advertising campaign for Weekend Max Mara's Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
They are currently featured on the world’s top 50 models list on the leading fashion database models.com.
In terms of style, Valentine says they’re most comfortable in sneakers, baggy clothes, and boxers and that they’d rather hit the runway in pants than a dress. The non-binary fashion trailblazer currently lives and works in New York City, where they’re involved in raising awareness of mental health issues, such as BPD.
Follow Grace Valentine on Instagram.
Valentina Sampaio
Brazilian model, actor, and activist Valentina Sampaio is signed to Premier Model Management in London and has already achieved some notable firsts in her career.
Sampaio walked her first-ever runway at São Paulo Fashion Week in 2016 and has been a force for good in the fashion world ever since. In 2019, she became the first openly transgender model to pose for iconic lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret.
Speaking on the Victoria’s Secret shoot, she said, “I hope this can be a huge step towards more inclusivity and representation for everybody.”
The year after her groundbreaking Victoria’s Secret shoot, Sampaio became the first openly trans woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Sampaio has recently achieved exciting and impressive milestones in her modeling career. In October 2024, she made history by becoming one of the first transgender models to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, alongside Alex Consani. In the same month, Sampaio graced the cover of Elle Spain's October 2024 issue. Photographed by Rocio Ramos, she showcased designs from renowned fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dior, highlighting her versatility and prominence in the modeling world.
Earlier in 2024, Sampaio was featured on the cover of Vogue Brazil. The extensive 20-page editorial, "Natureza Surreal," was shot on the beaches of Paúba, São Paulo. This feature underscored her strong connection to her Brazilian roots and standing as a leading fashion figure.
Sampaio’s creativity and style extend far beyond the runway into her imaginative activism. In 2021, she auctioned a digital NFT dress to raise money for LGBTQ+ charities. The dress sold for $300,000, making it the most expensive NFT fashion item ever.
Follow Valentina Sampaio on Instagram.
Kai Schreiber
Kai Schreiber is a 16-year-old British-American model and actor, and the daughter of famous actors Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts.
Schreiber made her runway debut in March this year at Paris Fashion Week, walking for Valentino's Fall/Winter 2025-2026 ready-to-wear collection, “Le Méta-Théâtre Des Intimités.” The show, designed by creative director Alessandro Michele, featured a set inspired by David Lynch and aimed to challenge traditional gender norms.
Since her Paris debut, she has starred in Valentino's Pre-Fall 2025 campaign with a bold, modern Madonna-inspired look, further establishing her emerging presence in fashion. This up-and-coming teen is represented by global agency IMG Models and is absolutely one to watch!
Follow Kai Schreiber on Instagram.
Chella Man
Chella Man is a Chinese-American artist and model. He’s also Jewish, deaf, genderqueer, and a vocal advocate for intersectionality and empowerment in the fashion world.
Since moving to New York City from Pennsylvania, Man has worked collaboratively in art and fashion, stating he doesn’t see his “work in either area as separate from one another.”
In 2018, Man became the first transmasculine model to sign with international modeling agency IMG Models. Since then, he has been featured in shoots for Calvin Klein, Gucci, GAP, and American Eagle. In 2021, he became the first transmasculine model to be featured in a YSL Beauty campaign for its Nu collection.
Man’s work also expands away from the camera lens and onto television screens. In 2019, he was cast as a mute superhero in Titans. He also created his short film, The Device That Turned Me Into A Cyborg Was Born The Same Year I Was, which explores his experience of wearing a cochlear implant.
In 2022, Man was appointed as an ambassador for Nike, featuring in the sports giant’s BeTrue campaign to promote safer spaces for marginalized communities.
Follow Chella Man on TikTok and Instagram.
Laith Ashley
American model and actor Laith Ashley shot to fame in 2014 after Instagram photos of him in Calvin Klein underwear went viral. Trans icon Laverne Cox was among the first to reshare the images, sparking a chain of events leading to the launch of his modeling career.
This viral moment eventually earned him a spot on a reality TV show about trans models. A short while later, Ashley was featured in a campaign for Barneys and later walked the runway at New York Fashion Week.
His career as a model and an actor has gone from strength to strength, having already posed in shoots for Abercrombie & Fitch, Diesel, Out Magazine, GQ, and Vogue Hommes.
In 2023, Ashley starred as Taylor Swift’s love interest in her "Lavender Haze" music video — a moment celebrated throughout the LGBTQ+ community as a significant stride forward for trans visibility.
Since his early years, Ashley has been a dedicated athlete and enjoys working out. His passion for fitness intensified when he began his transition at the age of 23. Ashley recently shared that one of his early transition goals was to “be jacked,” revealing he put a lot of work into building his dream body.
Follow Laith Ashley on TikTok and Instagram.
Leyna Bloom
American model Leyna Bloom is not only a trailblazer in the fashion world, but she’s also a successful dancer and actress. Additionally, she dedicates much of her time to LGBTQ+ activism and advocacy.
Bloom’s career kicked off in 2014; just three years later, she was one of the most well-known openly trans models in the fashion world. 2017 is the year she took to the runway at New York Fashion Week and became the first openly trans model of color to be featured in Vogue India.
She is the first Black and Asian trans woman featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. In 2018, Glamour magazine named Bloom one of "6 Women Who Are Shaping the Future of Fashion,” The following year, she walked in the Tommy Hilfiger x Zendaya fashion show at Paris Fashion Week.
In 2023, she walked in the LaQuan Smith Fall/Winter show in New York and was featured in an editorial for Vogue Philippines. The same year, Bloom was photographed looking fabulous in a floral Mark Bumgarner dress at the Tony Awards, sharing the image to her own Insta with the caption, “You can’t turn clay into gold.”
Outside of the fashion and modeling world, Bloom is also a well-known face in the New York Ballroom scene and is the mother of the house of Miyake-Mugler.
Follow Leyna Bloom on Instagram.
MiMi Tao
Born and raised in Thailand, Mimi Tao began to truly understand her gender after living in a Buddhist temple for six years. After leaving the temple, her journey into the fashion world was a complicated one, marked by many setbacks. Still, she powered through and made her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week for Marco Marco in 2017.
Just two years after her first runway walk, Tao stole the show on Project Runway, becoming the first transgender model to appear on the series. Described as a “real goddess” by her designer on the show, Tao shared with the world just how hard she had worked to get there.
Since her days on Project Runway, she has been on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar and featured in Teen Vogue, LA Weekly, Tatler, Cosmopolitan, and more.
The story of her rise to fame has been featured on several online news sites, including the BBC and the Daily Mail. In 2020, Tao was appointed as an ambassador for the "Reduced Inequalities" campaign — a collaboration between the United Nations, #TOGETHERBAND, and the Global Goals — to combat discrimination, tackle gender-based violence, and increase digital accessibility.
She now lives in New York City, regularly featuring in high-end fashion shows and advertising campaigns.
Follow Mimi Tao on Instagram.
Nathan Westling
Nathan Westling made his modeling debut in 2013, walking for Marc Jacobs. Six years into his career, he shared his transition with the world and began working exclusively as a male model.
Pre-2019, Westling was known for having an androgynous look and a unique sense of gender-neutral style. Since announcing his transition, he has again taken to the runway for Marc Jacobs and been featured on the cover of several high-end magazines, including Dazed, i-D, and L’Uomo Vogue.
Westling has been signed to a range of high-end modeling agencies. His impressive portfolio from the last decade includes campaigns for brands such as Alexander McQueen, Dior, Versace, Prada, and Louis Vuitton, among others. He has been proudly named one of the most influential figures in fashion by Business of Fashion.
In the summer of 2022, Westling was on the cover of British Vogue alongside Munroe Bergdorf, Valentina Sampaio, Cara Delevingne, Aweng Chuol, and other famous faces, all referred to as “children of the gender revolution” in celebration of Pride.
In 2023, Westling was on the cover of Perfect, with a shoot exploring “the power of self, of personal choice, of independence….the ability to make one’s own decisions, to live as we see fit.”
Jari Jones
Jari Jones is an American trans femme producer, model, actor, and dedicated LGBTQ+ activist.
In 2020, Jones was one of nine models featured in Calvin Klein’s Pride campaign. A photo of Jones in front of a campaign billboard in a popular Soho spot went viral, quickly spreading her name around the internet and fueling her career as a model.
Before her modeling career took off, Jones had already made a name for herself in the movie world as the first Black trans woman to produce a film competing in the Cannes Film Festival. The 2019 movie Port Authority, of which she was a cast member, script consultant, and producer, is a queer love story set amidst the ballroom scene in New York. Jones was also cast in the Netflix series Tales of the City.
In the last few years, Jones has walked in several runway shows, including New York Fashion Week. She has famously modeled for the body-positive brand Chromat and No Sasso — the first collection featured in the New York Fashion Week headed by a trans woman. In a double win for inclusivity, Jones was the first Black trans woman to wear No Sasso on the New York runway, where she was undoubtedly the centre of attention.
Jones has also appeared in Dove’s "Goodbye Judgement, Hello Underarms" campaign and “Clothing is Political” by Elizabeth Suzann.
When it comes to her activism, Jones is a fierce advocate for transgender rights and the Black Lives Matter movement. Through her mission to promote self-acceptance and lift other members of her intersectional communities, she breaks down barriers and paves the way for others to follow.
Follow Jari Jones on TikTok and Instagram.
Teddy Quinlivan
American model Teddy Quinlivan was introduced to the fashion world in 2015 after being discovered by Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière. It was just two years later that she came out as trans — an announcement that was met with much positivity in the industry.
In 2019, Quinlivan became the first openly trans model to work with Chanel, appearing in a video campaign where she shared her summer makeup routine. In an Instagram post announcing the collaboration, Quinlivan said, “I am the first openly trans person to work for the house of Chanel, and I am deeply humbled and proud to represent my community.”
Quinlivan has walked for a fantastic selection of brands and designers in her impressive career, including Jason Wu, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Jeremy Scott, Carolina Herrera, and Saint Laurent.
She is a vocal supporter of eradicating sexual harassment in the fashion industry, famously refusing to walk for any designer who collaborates with someone who has been accused of such misconduct.
In 2023, Quinlivan walked the runway for David Koma’s Fall/Winter show and posed for luxury haircare brand Kérastase in an advertising campaign.
Follow Teddy Quinlivan on Instagram.
Violet Chachki
Violet Chachki is an American drag queen, musician, and genderfluid model. She began working as a drag performer at 19 and continues to make a name for herself.
Chachki’s rise to fame reached new heights when she took the crown as the season-seven winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and she’s been unstoppable ever since. Since her 2015 RuPaul win, Chachki has been featured in Dita von Teese’s neo-burlesque show, "The Art of Teese," and walked the runway for Moschino at Milan Fashion Week.
In 2019, she made an appearance at the Met Gala in New York City as one of the first drag queens to attend the luxurious fashion fundraiser. Shortly after the event, Chachki was listed in New York Magazine’s list of “The Most Powerful Drag Queens in America," ranking in 16th place.
2023 was an excellent year for Chachki, as she was featured on the cover of Vogue Czechoslovakia in March and walked the runway in Florence for the British Vogue - Luisa Via Roma show in June. She was also celebrated with the Cultural Icon Award, an honor given by the Tom of Finland Foundation, an organization that promotes and preserves the erotic arts.
Follow Violet Chachki on TikTok and Instagram.
Famous Transgender and Non-Binary Models
These 13 famous models are just a handful of trans and non-binary people pulling the fashion world into the future, and countless more are set to follow in their footsteps.
This enhanced visibility is not only a win for these individuals but also paves the way for the next generation of trans and gender-nonconforming models to have a much smoother route into the industry.
Do you like this article? If you do, you may also be interested in: Non Binary Fashion Influencers Redefining Today’s Landscape OR Trans Tape and Other Binding Tapes: The Ultimate Guide
Credit for the featured image: Model: MiMi Tao, Photography: Alejandro Poveda. Permission to use image granted by MiMi Tao.
Alix Coe is a non-binary writer and personal trainer working exclusively with the LGBTQIA+ community. They currently live in Brighton, UK.