Transgender model Andreja Pejić: 'I’m not a 19-year-old alien any more, I’m a mature woman'

You might not know Andreja very well but you certainly would have seen her, especially since she’s part of Taylor Swfit’s squad.

As any successful model, the 24-year old phenomenon has been profiled by American Vogue, French Vogue and ELLE. She has walked the runways of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, Paul Smith and Raf Simons.

Originally though, her plan was quite different.

Pejić, who was scouted as a model at the age of 16, initially intended to make her modelling career as short and prolific as possible so she could afford the transition and then drop out of the fashion world.

Eight years later and she is now at the summit of her career.

Speaking to ES Magazine she said, “I thought, ‘You may as well own this.’ I’ve invested a lot in this career. And now amazing things are happening, which are testament to the times we live in,” .

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“I’m not a 19-year-old alien any more, I’m a mature woman,” she adds.

Pejić also states that it’s been an achievement for her to work with mainstream brands, “Instead of trying to be the queen of cool, it feels like more of an achievement to work with mainstream brands and reach as many people as possible. It’s more unexpected for someone like me.”

“I never imagined I’d be so public about it. Perhaps if I was in a different profession, I wouldn’t have worn ‘trans’ on my forehead. But there’s a difference between not wanting to make a big deal of something and fearing the effect it will have on my life. It’s all out there now.”

She adds, “If I go on a date, I don’t have to worry about that moment when he finds out.”

Words: Salomé Baudino

Transgender model Andreja Pejić: ‘I’m not a 19-year-old alien any more, I’m a mature woman’

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