She started her career as teen androgynous model Andrej Pejic.
And now Andreja Pejic has been signed to Ford Models New York as the first transgender model on their elite roster.
The 26-year-old spoke with Forbes about her historic achievement and how her success is ‘breaking down barriers’ for transgender awareness in the fashion world.
Trendsetter: Andreja Pejic has been signed to Ford Models New York as the first transgender model on their elite roster
‘On a personal level, three years ago, I was dropped by a modelling agency after I came out publicly as transgender,’ the Melbourne-raised beauty told the magazine.
‘It feels good to go from not even knowing if I would have a future in the modelling business to joining forces with one of the biggest names in the industry,’ she added.
The blonde stunner was first discovered as a male 16-year-old working behind the counter at a McDonald’s restaurant.
‘It feels good to go from not even knowing if I would have a future in the modelling business to joining forces with one of the biggest names in the industry,’ she added
She instantly became the ‘toast of the international catwalk’ due to her androgyny, famously photographed in womenswear by Carine Roitfeld for Vogue Paris.
She underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2014 and has been vocal about how the fashion industry, while ‘very pro-LGBT’, is tough to navigate for a transgender model.
‘Just because someone is gay or in the LGBT world doesn’t mean they understand our experiences, so I’ve had to deal with breaking down some barriers and really prove that we’re worthy of the same respect as other women,’ she told Forbes.
‘Just because someone is gay or in the LGBT world doesn’t mean they understand our experiences, so I’ve had to deal with breaking down some barriers and really prove that we’re worthy of the same respect as other women,’ she told Forbes
Andreja’s signing to Ford is one of ‘several new developments that will unfold in the coming weeks’ for the prestigious agency, according to the report.
She now follows in the footsteps of some of the world’s biggest names in modelling, including Christie Brinkley, Jerry Hall and Alek Wek.
The model described the fashion world as being ‘in a time of flux’ and stressed that agencies have to be ‘more dynamic and more creative’ to manage diverse talent.
Changes: The model described the fashion world as being ‘in a time of flux’ and stressed that agencies have to be ‘more dynamic and more creative’ to manage diverse talent