If you scroll enough through your Instagram Explore page for a while, at some point you’ll inevitably come across a mirror selfie of an off-duty Victoria’s Secret runway model. (Well… former VS runway model. Too soon?) She’ll probably be flexing her subtly toned six-pack in a Calvin Klein lingerie set, loose jeans, or a matching sports bra and leggings workout set, and the caption will more than likely be an emoji or all-lowercase song lyric. Whether you’ll miss VS’ glamorous angel wings or are excited to usher in a new wave of body positivity, the fact stands that the majority of fashion models are able-bodied, cisgender, and above 5’8”, with waist circumferences smaller than 25”. Scroll through Explore all you want, but consider adding these game-changers to your feed.
Nathan Westling
Nathan Westling rose to fame beginning in 2014, walking for designers like Marc Jacobs, Saint Laurent, and Prada while signed to The Society Management. After years of campaigns, editorials, and fashion weeks, in March 2019 Nathan came out as transgender. He spoke of the depression that had followed him throughout his entire career, and took a hiatus from modelingto begin his transition. Now, he’s back on the runway, living in Los Angeles, and increasing visibility for trans male models.
La’Shaunae Steward
La’Shaunae Steward is a plus-sized model from Charleston, SC. She rose to fame on Instagram and in 2018 was voted #1 on the Dazed 100 list. She now has 136,000 Instagram followers and regularly partners with Fashion Nova Curve. La’Shaunae has been vocal about the need for representation of black, plus-sized women in fashion, and she’s spearheading that effort herself.
Nyle Dimarco
Nyle Dimarco won season 22 of America’s Next Top Model – that’s impressive enough for a male model. He’s one of only a handful of men to ever win the show; he’s also deaf and since his win has advocated for deaf visibility in all forms of entertainment. In addition to his nonprofit, the Nyle Dimarco Foundation, he has acted on shows such as Switched at Birth, featured in several music videos, walked the runway for Armani, and even won Dancing with the Stars in 2016.
Cameron Russell
Cameron Russell is a model, Columbia grad, and co-founder of Model Activist, an organization which encourages accountability by models and others in the fashion industry. Called the “Model Mafia”, its members fight for everything from sustainability to representation to models’ rights. She’s walked the runway of pretty much any high-profile designer you can think of – Versace, Chanel and Victoria’s Secret to name a few, as well as giving a viral TED talk on the dark side of modeling. Her 2013 speech, with the tagline “Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.” has over 23 million views on YouTube.
Rihanna
Not technically a model, but it’s no secret that Rihanna is breaking new ground in the fashion industry with Savage X Fenty, her lingerie line. The brand’s unique runway shows have generated by far the most buzz of any presentation at NYFW, where most runways consist of tall, thin, and often white models. Fenty featured models who were plus-sized, disabled, pregnant, transgender, black, white, and most of all, confident. Their shows have included dancers, music, and a general atmosphere of self-love that so much of the fashion industry bypasses in pursuit of making their brand feel elite or exclusive.