From Vogue cover to Dior ad campaign, transgender models shine in Asia

The models on the June 2021 cover of Vogue Thailand are trans women, and Dior has teamed up with Chinese transgender icon Jin Xing for a perfume campaign

None of this will feel controversial for young people but, for many years, non-binary models were rarely seen on the catwalks or in prestigious publications

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The June 2021 edition of Vogue Thailand features trans women on the cover, a sign that the fashion world is moving in the right direction when it comes to trans rights. Photo: Nat Prakobsantisuk

Published: 7:15pm, 18 Jun 2021Updated: 7:15pm, 18 Jun 2021

Browse the news-stands and the June 2021 edition of Vogue Thailand won’t jump out at you right away.

Yes, it is beautifully shot and, yes, the three women gracing the cover are lovely to look at – but this is Vogue and that should come as no surprise.

It is only when you flip through the magazine that you will discover these models – whose professional names are Moji, Blossom and Sunshine – are, in fact, trans women.

In March, Dior announced it was teaming up with Chinese transgender icon Jin Xing for its signature fragrance, Dior J’adore. Xing is a dancer, choreographer, and television presenter with more than 13 million followers on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. Her appointment to front the #diorstandwithwomen campaign alongside actress Li Bingbing is an important step forward for trans rights.

Xing is a dancer, choreographer, and television presenter with more than 13 million followers on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.

Transgender models in the June 2021 issue of Vogue Thailand. Photo: Nat Prakobsantisuk

Modelling looks very different now to a few decades ago, when white cisgender women dominated the industry. Some would argue it hasn’t changed enough, but this Vogue cover, and Xing’s partnership with Dior, shows it is moving in the right direction – and that Asia is perhaps at the forefront of that change.