Modeling Journey

Valentijn de Hingh, Lea T and Nomi Ruiz are three exceptionally beautiful and talented emerging models who you can expect to see a lot more of in the future. Lea T, de Hingh and Ruiz have captivated the fashion industry with their visceral beauty and for the courage and conviction that they demonstrate in dealing with the prejudice and sitgma faced by many in the transgender community. The three models represent a more inclusive standard of beauty within the modelling industry whilst also acting as pioneers for the transgender community through their increased visibility in and on the covers of mainstream magazines and on catwalks around the world.

Valentijn de Hingh began modelling in 2007 at age seventeen in Amsterdam and was swiftly whisked off to Paris to walk for the likes of Martin Margiela and Comme des Garcons. de Hingh's initial foray into modelling ended abruptly when she was deemed to be to tall, at 186 cm, to have a serious career as a model. de Hingh who had always been keenly interested in fashion opted instead for a career behind the scenes as an assistant booker for Paparazzi Model Management. It was in 2010, when the fashion industry was abuzz over the success of transgender model Lea T, that de Hingh decided to relaunch her modelling career.

Within months, de Hingh was shooting in New York with Patrick Demarchelier and Katie Grand for Love magazine and has since appeared in Candy magazine lensed by Benjamin Alexander Huseby. de Hingh currently resides in Amsterdam where she is a student of Literature Science and hopes to one day to become involved in fashion journalism. Vogue Italia has de Hingh firmly in it's sights, having recently profiled her as a face to watch on vogue.it

Transgender Brooklyn singer Nomi Ruiz has been plucked from relative obscurity by Thierry Mugler head designer Nicola Formichetti to be his muse. Ruiz who is the lead singer of the band Jessica 6, appears in the campaign film for Formichetti's latest Mugler menswear collection and also has an upcoming editorial in V Magazine lensed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. Armed with sublime Latino looks and a smokin' hot bod, Ruiz looks set to put the sizzle back into modelling.

Brazilian model Lea T began her career as an assistant and fit model for Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. Lea rose to prominence when Tisci selected her as one of the faces to front his Fall/Winter 2010 campaign shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. Lea agreed to appear in the campaign on the proviso that her transgender status be fully disclosed in media interviews. Speaking with the New York Times, Lea explains that "When you are a transexual, you look for your future, and you can't see it. I thought this would be a nice message for another tranny: 'Look, we can be the same as other boys and girls.' It's small, but it makes you feel that you have a little chance. Maybe a transexual will open a magazine and think: 'That's cool. We can be whatever we want.' That's why I did the Givenchy campaign."

Tisci is unabashed in his admiration of Lea in an interview for WWD; "She's a true goddess. She has always been very feminine - super fragile, very aristocratic." Appearances in Vogue Paris, Lurve Magazine, Interview, Hercules, V Magazine, and on the cover of Love Magazine alongside Kate Moss cemented Lea's status as a model with true credibility. Currently ranked at number 42 on the models.com list of Top 50 Models, Lea's celebrity status is likely to implode following an appearance this year on the Oprah Winfrey show, detailing her inspirational life story.