Dive Brief:
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Online apparel retailer ModCloth has cast a transgender model for their site, through a campaign they dubbed #FashionTruth, which invited its fans to apply to be a model.
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The model, writer comedienne Rye Silverman, has a profile on ModCloth’s site, won a $100 gift card, now has a dress named after her, and has featured a collection of her favorite ModCloth items.
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Other brands have also embraced transgender models in campaigns, including teen skincare line Clean & Clear, which cast a transgender teenager for its “See the Real Me” campaign, and hair care brand Redken, which has tapped trans model Lea T.
Dive Insight:
ModCloth has already staked out strong stances on style and images issues, pledging to use a variety of real-looking models on their site and in their advertising, and developing a plus-style category that is not just an afterthought.
The approach, which is now embracing transgender identity in its display of beauty, has given ModCloth an identity of its own that goes beyond its vintage-y style, something that many apparel retailers can only dream of.
“The Style Gallery did so much for me in regards to really gaining confidence to both assert my own style, as well as take risks and chances and draw inspiration,” Silverman writes. “Everyone on there is doing so much fun stuff with their clothes, and it’s great to be part of that.”