Chanel selects its first openly transgender model for a beauty campaign

Chanel Beauty has selected its first openly transgender model for its latest campaign: Teddy Quinlivan, a 25-year-old model who was discovered in 2015 by Louis Vuitton's creative director.

What are the details?

Quinlivan, also an equality activist, announced in a Monday Instagram post that she is the new face of Chanel Beauty.

"I find I don't cry anymore when things are sad, but isn't it interesting when we shed tears in moments of triumph?" she wrote. "This was one of those triumphant moments for me. My whole life has been a fight. From being bullied at school consistently, kids threatening to kill me and going into graphic detail how they were going to do it, my own father beating me and calling me a f*****, to receiving industry blowback after speaking publicly about being sexually assaulted on the job....This was a victory that made all of that s*** worth it."

Image source: Instagram video screenshot

She added, "I am the first openly trans person to work for the house of Chanel, and I am deeply humbled and proud to represent my community. The world will kick you down, spit on you, and tell you you're worthless. It's your job to have the strength to stand up and push on, to keep fighting, [b]ecause if you give up then you will never experience the tears of triumph."

Quinlivan came out as trans in 2017, two years after she was discovered.

She has walked runways for brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci, as well as Chanel, and has been featured in magazines like Porter and L'Officiel.

In a statement about her latest gig at Chanel, Quinlivan said, "I had walked 2 shows for Chanel while I was living in stealth (stealth meaning I hadn't made my trans identity public yet) and when I came out I knew I'd stop working with some brands, I thought I'd never work with the iconic house of Chanel ever again. But here I am in Chanel Beauty Advertising. I am the first openly trans person to work for the house of Chanel, and I am deeply humbled and proud to represent my community."