Everyone knows Andrej Pejic, the male model who walked the catwalks modelling womenswear for some of the world’s leading designers. She’s now Andreja Pejic, and her career hasn’t stalled.
But have you heard of Casey Legler? She’s a female model whose androgynous looks got her signed to Ford Models men’s division.
She’s got an incredible backstory (the Olympics feature), and her latest news is that she’s fronting the next campaign for The Upside, Jodhi Meares’ activewear label, called “Be You”.
French-born, Legler, 38, is a six-foot two-inch model who was the first woman to be signed to Ford’s menswear division. She’s done campaigns for Diesel and All Saints as well as appearing in high fashion magazines including Vogue.
She’s also an artist who formerly represented France in swimming at the 1996 Olympics.
“My body is proportioned to a biologically male body, so I was trained to swim like the boys,” she told ABC’s 7.30 last year.
Legler, who identifies as queer, says that the very narrow way we are permitted to identify ourselves as male or female is “limiting.”
“This culture has a particular story about women and what that’s supposed to look like. If you don’t fit into that narrative then it’s a struggle, no matter what end of the spectrum you land on,” Legler said, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
“No matter what your version of femininity looks like it’s fierce and brave as hell and that’s the element Be You is honouring and celebrating. It speaks volumes that The Upside would include a female-male model to be representative of femininity.”
Legler’s work for The Upside will be the first time she’s modelled female fashion.
The second Be You campaign by The Upside also features Tahnee Atkinson, who won the fifth season of Australia’s Next Top Model and was frequently criticised for her weight.
Check out the amazing Casey Legler… Post continues after gallery.
The Upside aims to “take focus on the diverse expressions of femininity as illustrated by two contrasting and beautiful female narratives.”
Jodhi Meares has been living it up on the Amalfi Coast, partying on her ex-husband Jamie Packer’s yacht. This Instagram snap would seem to indicate that there are no hard feelings.
Ten per cent of the profits from The Upside’s campaign will go to Twenty10, the LGBTIQ charity, and the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW.
More on androgyny, gender fluidity and trans models?
We’re so fine with bisexual people these days… as long as they’re pretty and famous,
Miley Cyrus is gender fluid: “I didn’t want to be a boy… I kind of wanted to be nothing.”