This is Andrej Pejic. Born into a Serbian family in 1991, Andrej was scouted at the ripening age of seventeen at a swimming pool in Melbourne, Australia. Almost instantly, were they thrown onto the international platform that is the fashion world. With incredible platinum hair complimentry to envious pale skin and bone structure that only God himself could build, Pejic graced the catwalk in Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring 2011 show, as well as the coinciding campaign alongside superstar hottie Karolina Kurkova. Andrej also caught the eye of fashion god Marc Jacobs for his Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring campaign just this year. With an ever growing number of magazine covers and global muse-worthy status, its not too bad a start for a nineteen year old from Australia.
These two models, my dear readers, are the new international faces of 21st Century fashion. Not only do they tick off all the elements of supermodels, that is being super incredibly gorgeous, but their differing appearances and grace together cover all bases that the fashion world strives for: pale and waifer like, or tanned and electric. With these two young models on the scene, dear old faces can kiss goodbye campaigns they once claimed residence upon.
Oh, and did I mention that these two models are men?
Yes, that is right! The heart-stopping Andrej Pejic from Australia is 100 percent male. Whilst the picture above screams nothing but feministic beauty, enlighten yourself and pop onto Google Images. There you will see countless visuals of Pejic completely flat chested with absolutely no hint of female sex at all. Believe it! While you are there, do a little background research on dimple-faced Lea T. You will be surprised to see that Lea T (born Leonardo) came into this world looking like every other male on earth. But come 2011, Lea opted for a sex change and has been a female ever since.
Funnily enough, unless you knew their background, you would have absolutely no idea whatsoever that these two models are not everything you would assume that they are in those images. Because I was in the exact same boat. But yet, like anything different in life, controversy soon follows. So, I ask, what exactly is the problem?
The problem is that this is not traditional fashion. You'd think that I was joking: look at how much fashion changes itself! I find it hard to believe that tradition actually exists in fashion itself, but yet here we are. One problem in particular that lied with Andrej Pejic is the fact that it wasn't immediately made aware of the actual sex of him. Everyone just assumed he was a girl without question. His modelling didn't change, his photoshoots still continued to wow all those who saw them. But bring it to the public's attention that he was in fact a female, and everyone immediately begins to question the integrity of the fashion marketplace! But why?
The same issues lie with beautiful Lea T. What people seem to be forgetting is that yes, Lea was indeed born Leonardo, but he... sorry, she... has now taken all the necessary steps into being a woman. All the surgery has been performed and as you can see, all too successful in the transformation. Rapid controversy hit the fashionista world lately when Lea T was booked and catwalked rather skimpy swimwear, some people believing such a role better left to the elite Victoria Secret Angels. But what people need to understand is this is indeed the way in which fashion is turning.
The answer is that androgynous figures on international magazines, billboards, and catwalks, are the future of major fashion houses. As Cator Sparks, a NY men's fashion journalist pointed out, "To be more philosophical about it, we are growing as a people and as races and as cultures, it's OK to not care what your gender is as long as you look great in clothes." And I couldn't agree more! A supermodel is literally modelling the clothes, and it is the clothes that you are looking at - a model merely adds to the appeal of the garment. So what should it matter who or what the model is? It makes no difference to the job that they do, it just makes headlines and pushes them more into stardom.
The fact is, we live in a crazy upside down world and this is simply just another spanner in the works of life. These models are clearly making big bucks and this is exactly what they do in life, so who is society to question? Lady Gaga changed genders for a shoot, and James Franco did it for an edition of Candy Magazine. The idea of girls being girls and boys being boys is being phased out. Society as a whole is an example in itself. Men are more aware and conscious than ever about their appearance and go to great lengths to maintain and groom their body. Females often turn to male fashion for pieces to add to their wardrobe. I, myself, am a serial offender of the boyfriend jumpers and baggy pants. Its all about experimenting, and these models know exactly how to do it! Its all about adapting, and accepting.
Andrej and Lea T might be a first in their class in this fashion era, but the path was paved long before: Andy Warhol's Candy Darling (L), and April Ashley. Both males, but you wouldn't know this otherwise with beauty like this.
xo
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