Slay Model Management, 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. It was founded in Los Angeles, California in 2015 by Filipino-American director, producer, and filmmaker Cecilio “Cece” Asunción, who serves as its director. 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.” 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. 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.” 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’sPose, , Project Runway and Netflix’s first fashion show, Next In Fashion.”
History
Ascension produced and directed What’s the T, a documentary exploring five trans women lives, and realized that one thing they needed most was employment. He felt Slay Model Management could help. In 2014, Thailand-based Apple Model Management became the world's first agency to openly represent transgender models. 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. 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”. Asunción rescued the project and opened SMM. He pointed out the trans models have been in the industry already citing Candy Darling, Caroline Cossey, Octavia Saint Laurent, and Andreja Pejic. He felt that stigmas towards trans people limited their careers.
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. • 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. He has also had campaigns for Diesel and Barney’s, and done catwalks for Gypsy Sport and Marco Marco. He was featured in the docuseriesStrut. • Cassandra Cass is a trans woman who was featured on the docuseries Strut. • Claudia Charriez a trans woman who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.” • Sable Gonzales is a trans woman and the inaugural spokesmodel for “I AM Vodka”’s "The Price of Being Me" campaign. • Dominique Jackson a trans woman who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.” She was featured in the docuseries Strut. • Isis King was the first openly trans woman contestant on America’s Next Top Model, , and was featured on Strut. In 2015 she was on The Bold and the Beautiful. She walked the catwalk for Michael Costello’s New York Fashion Week in 2017. • Rain who walked in Stevie Boi’s New York Fashion Week show “Noir.” • Martina Robledo became the first openly trans woman to be a trophy presenter at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017. • Dexter Simmons, who is gender queer, and also a board member. • Ren Spriggs, a trans model based out of West Hollywood, who appeared on Strut, and is the face of Katy Perry’s fragrance INDI. She was featured in the docuseries Strut. • Mimi Tao, a trans woman from Thailand. • Arisce Wanzer is the face of Truvada’s national campaign, and was featured in the docuseries Strut. In 2017 she became the first openly trans model on the cover of Spiegel’s catalog. She has appeared in Vogue, Forbes, Purple, Vogue Germany, and Vogue Italia.
