{"id":934,"date":"2015-12-07T20:29:52","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T20:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=934"},"modified":"2015-12-07T20:29:52","modified_gmt":"2015-12-07T20:29:52","slug":"transforming-the-fashion-modeling-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=934","title":{"rendered":"Transforming The Fashion Modeling Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trans<\/strong>forming The Fashion Modeling Industry<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Mike Bahr<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slay Model Management Throws Down The Gauntlet.<\/p>\n

It is the first exclusively transgender modeling agency. The agency is working to break down barriers that have prevented trans models from rising to the top echelons of the fashion industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time the world recognizes the amazing talent the trans community has to offer,\u201d says founder Cecilio Asuncion, a former film director who entered fashion after his documentary film focusing on transgender issues, What\u2019s the T?<\/em> won awards at major LGBT film festivals.\u00a0 \u201cWe believe one’s gender identity should not be a hindrance to one\u2019s fashion dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n

While being trans is a pre-requisite for all models on the Slay Model Management roster, it is not a guarantee for being signed with the agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not sign just anyone,\u201d Asuncion clarifies. \u201cModels must have the right height, measurements and a drive like no other!\u201d<\/p>\n

He works alongside Genesis Ilada, a make-up artist and photographer whose work has appeared in VOGUE, KIT, DEFURE, TRASH, BELLO and JUTE<\/em> Magazines, in scouting new talent.<\/p>\n

They say they view talent as models first and Trans individuals second.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re competing against the world\u2019s top girls. We\u2019re not asking clients to give our models special treatment,\u201d says Llads.<\/p>\n

Adds Asuncion, \u201cWe\u2019re simply saying, if trans models can do the job, let them do the damn job.\u201d<\/p>\n

He points out that trans models such as Lauren Foster, Caroline Cossey and Tracey Africa have had successful careers for years, appearing in fashion\u00a0magazines and campaigns. \u201cBut they often had to hide who they were in order to secure opportunities.\u00a0 We\u2019re encouraging our models to wear their gender as a badge of honor.\u00a0 We want them to view their uniqueness as an asset that may help them to stand out in a crowded fashion field.\u201d<\/p>\n

At 12-years-old, Alex is the youngest trans girl on the Slay Model Management board.\u00a0 Her mother says she signed her daughter with Slay because she\u2019s more comfortable with her daughter\u2019s participation in the fashion industry being represented by an exclusively trans agency.<\/p>\n

Arisce, formerly with Ford Models, is perhaps the most recognizable face on the roster. This month, she is featured in German Vogue.\u00a0 She believes being represented by an agency that consists solely of transgender models frees her from the need to conform to preconceived notions of what a top model should be like.<\/p>\n

Claudia Charriez echoes Arisce\u2019s sentiments. Having forged a modeling career with stints on America\u2019s Next Top Model and The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, Charriez is excited to be part of a community who understands and supports one another in an industry that still considers them outsiders.<\/p>\n

2015 has been a year of progress for the trans community with many exciting breakthroughs. \u00a0\u00a0There was the reality show devoted to Caitlyn Jenner\u2019s life and transition.\u00a0 Laverne Cox of Orange Is the New Black on the cover of Time Magazine. And the recent hire of Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, the first transgender appointee in the White House.<\/p>\n

But Asuncion is quick to draw the line between progress and acceptance. \u201cTrans issues are being talked about more but it\u2019s too early to assume it\u2019s all better.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his view, he\u2019ll believe real change has been made the day a trans model appears in an ad for Target or Wal-Mart. \u201cThe day I see a trans model pushing a shopping cart in a campaign for a major retailer – and no one bats an eye – is the day I will know my work is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visit http:\/\/www.slaymodels.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arisce photo credit:<\/p>\n

Photographer: Hemali Zaveri<\/p>\n

Make-up: Bionka Stevens<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Transforming The Fashion Modeling Industry By Mike Bahr   Slay Model Management Throws Down The Gauntlet. It is the first exclusively transgender modeling agency. The agency is working to break down barriers that have prevented trans models from rising to the top echelons of the fashion industry. \u201cIt\u2019s time the world recognizes the amazing talent the trans community has to offer,\u201d says founder Cecilio Asuncion, a former film director who entered fashion after his documentary film focusing on transgender issues, What\u2019s the T? won awards at major LGBT film festivals.\u00a0 \u201cWe believe one’s gender identity should not be a hindrance to one\u2019s fashion dreams.\u201d While being trans is a pre-requisite for all models on the Slay Model Management roster, it is not a guarantee for being signed with the agency. \u201cWe do not sign just anyone,\u201d Asuncion clarifies. \u201cModels must have the right height, measurements and a drive like no other!\u201d He works alongside Genesis Ilada, a make-up artist and photographer whose work has appeared in VOGUE, KIT, DEFURE, TRASH, BELLO and JUTE Magazines, in scouting new talent. They say they view talent as models first and Trans individuals second.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re competing against the world\u2019s top girls. We\u2019re not asking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":935,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[864,860,855,868,865,858,845,863,853,861,848,850,862,869,856,852,857,433,847,867,849,842,866,859,844,843,854,851,846],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=934"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":936,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934\/revisions\/936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}