Slay Model Management

Slay Model Management (SMM), also called Slay Models, is the world’s first modeling agency created for, and specializing in only transgender and gender queer models, including trans women, and trans men.[2][1][3][4] It was founded in Los Angeles, California in 2015 by Filipino-American director, producer, and filmmaker Cecilio “Cece” Asunción, who serves as its director.[1][5][6][7] In 2016, SMM was the subject of the Oxygen series Strut, showing “the challenges its models faced in the fashion industry, fighting to overcome gender and beauty stereotypes.”[1] In February 2020, SMM will host a trans woman model search finale at One Culver in Los Angeles, believed to be the first of its kind.[lower-alpha 1][1]

Slay Model Management,
aka Slay Models
Private company
IndustryModeling and talent agency
FoundedLos Angeles, California (2015 (2015))
FounderCecilio “Cece” Asunción
Headquarters
Los Angeles
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Cecilio “Cece” Asunción (Director)
WebsiteSlayModels.com[1]

According to Asunción, “It takes more than beauty to be a top model. It takes determination, a healthy outlook and a visceral understanding that she is a model first, and a trans woman second.”[1] Campaigns that Slay models have done include: “Eva Mendes for New York and Co.; Nikita Dragun’s Cosmetics company, Dragun Beauty, and Katy Perry Fragrance, as well as on TV in FX’s Pose, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Project Runway and Netflix’s first fashion show, Next In Fashion.”[1]

History

Ascension produced and directed What’s the T (2013), a documentary exploring five trans women lives, and realized that one thing they needed most was employment.[8] He felt Slay Model Management could help.[8] In 2014, Thailand-based Apple Model Management (AMM) became the world's first agency to openly represent transgender models.[2]

In summer 2015, AMM announced they had six trans models, were looking for more, and were going to open a trans-only agency with Asunción as its director in Los Angeles.[9] In late summer 2015 AMM was to premiere its U.S.-West Coast roster of models, a project with Asunción that also was to include a reality show, when “a devastating bombing occurred back home that required immediate attention”.[10] Asunción rescued the project and opened SMM.[10] He pointed out the trans models have been in the industry already citing Candy Darling, Caroline Cossey (aka Tula), Octavia Saint Laurent, and Andreja Pejic.[9] He felt that stigmas towards trans people limited their careers.[9]

Models

SMM models include:

• Alex a young trans woman who started with SMM when she was twelve; her mother felt more trusting of an all-trans agency to look out for her.[10]

• Laith Ashley is a Dominican, trans man who has been a cover model for Gay Times, and Attitude, and was one of the first openly trans male models to first trans male models to appear in a national campaign.[4] He has also had campaigns for Diesel and Barney’s, and done catwalks for Gypsy Sport and Marco Marco.[6] He was featured in the docuseries Strut.[11]

• Cassandra Cass is a trans woman who was featured on the docuseries Strut.[12]

• Claudia Charriez a trans woman who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.”[13]

• Sable Gonzales is a trans woman and the inaugural spokesmodel for “I AM Vodka”’s "The Price of Being Me" campaign.[14]

• Dominique Jackson a trans woman who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.”[13] She was featured in the docuseries Strut.[11]

• Isis King was the first openly trans woman contestant on America’s Next Top Model (2008), America's Next Top Model: All Stars (2011), and was featured on Strut.[7][15] In 2015 she was on The Bold and the Beautiful.[15] She walked the catwalk for Michael Costello’s New York Fashion Week in 2017.[16]

• Rain who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.”[13]

• Martina Robledo became the first openly trans woman to be a trophy presenter at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017.[17]

• Dexter Simmons, who is gender queer, and also a board member.[3]

• Ren Spriggs, a trans model based out of West Hollywood, who appeared on Strut, and is the face of Katy Perry’s fragrance INDI.[18][5] She was featured in the docuseries Strut.[19]

• Mimi Tao, a trans woman from Thailand.[20]

• Arisce Wanzer is the face of Truvada’s national campaign, and was featured in the docuseries Strut.[5][21] In 2017 she became the first openly trans model on the cover of Spiegel’s catalog.[22] She has appeared in Vogue, Forbes, Purple, Vogue Germany, and Vogue Italia.[23][10]

gollark: Anyway, how am I meant to:- have the sandbox not muck with the environment of stuff running outside- have the sandbox *not* end up broken horribly by `os.run`, `load(string/file)` and `dofile` and anything else using FS stuff internally or whatever?
gollark: C++ 40: We Hate Compiler Writers.
gollark: Yes, exactly.
gollark: C++ 30: Bow Down to Your Robot Overlords.
gollark: C++: Rust but Worse.

See also
  • Tracey "Africa" Norman, possibly the first trans woman catwalk model

Reference
  1. Twenty-five finalists will be selected to be a part of a Model Boot Camp—coached by photographers, stylists and editors—for three slots in the live finale.

References

  1. Lockwood, Lisa (December 10, 2019). "Slay Model Management to Host Transgender Model Search". Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. Alcala, Natalie (September 2, 2015). "LA's First Transgender Modeling Agency Wants a Reality Show". Racked LA. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  3. Rotter, Joshua (July 15, 2019). "Designer Dexter Simmons' new 'Wavy' line was born in SF clubs". 48 Hills. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  4. Rodriguez, Mathew (May 19, 2016). "Dominican, Trans Model Laith Ashley Covers Gay UK Mag Targeted by #GayMediaSoWhite". Mic. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  5. Gurung, Regina (October 12, 2018). "'The People's Queen': Cecilio Asuncion talks Trans pageant representation and why 'beauty is about being perfectly imperfect'". Media Arts Entertainment Worldwide. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  6. Katz, Evan Ross (September 20, 2018). "Chella Man, Laith Ashley and the slow rise of the trans male model". Mic. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  7. "Transgender-Only Modelling Agencies Giving Visibility To An Underrepresented Fashion Demographic". GirlTalkHQ. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  8. Krueger, Alyson (March 3, 2017). "Transgender Models Find a Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  9. Sandel, Adam (July 22, 2015). "All-Transgender Modeling Agency is Set to Launch". [[Advocate (magazine)|]]. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  10. Alcala, Natalie (December 1, 2015). "America's First Transgender Modeling Agency Features a 12-Year-Old". Racked LA. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  11. Ennis, Dawn (October 31, 2016). "Trans male model Laith Ashley stuns the Marco Marco runway in L.A." LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  12. Venable, Malcolm (September 19, 2016). "STRUT Isn't the "Trans Top Model" but It's Addictive Nonetheless". TV Guide. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  13. Ejiofor, Annette (February 16, 2017). "Transgender models shine at Stevie Boi's New York Fashion Week show". NBC News. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  14. Rawles, Timothy (October 10, 2016). "Transgender model Sabel Gonzales: 'The Price of Being Me'". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  15. Williams IV, John-John (September 16, 2016). "Maryland native Isis King steps into new reality show 'Strut'". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  16. Nolfi, Joey (October 24, 2016). "Isis King Is 'the Kate Moss of the Trans Models' in 'Strut' Finale Clip — Exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  17. Sal, Adam (February 12, 2017). "2017 Grammys Adds Awards' First Transgender Trophy Presenter". LOGO News. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  18. Whitaker, Lenyon (October 1, 2019). "Transgender models you should follow on Instagram". Metro. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  19. Ennis, Dawn (October 31, 2016). "Trans male model Laith Ashley stuns the Marco Marco runway in L.A." LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  20. Devine, Christine (November 6, 2018). "From Buddhist Monk to transgender model, meet Mimi Tao". FOX 11 Los Angeles. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  21. Ennis, Dawn (October 31, 2016). "Trans male model Laith Ashley stuns the Marco Marco runway in L.A." LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  22. Dresden, Hilton (October 27, 2016). "Arisce Wanzer Is the First Trans Model to Land 'Spiegel' Cover in Its 111-Year History". [[Out (magazine)|]]. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  23. Yohannes, Alamin (October 26, 2016). "Trans model Arisce Wanzer lands cover of Spiegel catalog". NBC News. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
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