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Los Angeles-based label Marco Marco set a New York Fashion Week precedent Saturday with a runway show that featured 34 openly transgender and nonbinary models.
The label, which has been been worn by Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears and is known for its underwear and swimwear, unveiled its Collection Seven line Sept. 8 at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. Among those strutting their stuff in Marco Marco’s sexy, skin-baring looks were models Geena Rocero and Carmen Carrera, “Transparent” star Trace Lysette and “Pose” cast members Dominique Jackson, Angelica Ross and Mj Rodriguez.
Jennifer Graylock via Getty Images
Designer Marco Morante, who is an outspoken LGBTQ rights advocate, told Mic that his mission with the show was to “to create a space to celebrate trans bodies,” and “reinforce that trans is beautiful.”
While Morante has featured transgender and nonbinary models in his shows before, he said it became apparent “that their presence was often overshadowed by cis gay men or cis gay men in drag.” Thus, he opted to feature an exclusively trans roster of models this time around.
Jennifer Graylock via Getty Images
Collection Seven received praise from a number of the show’s celebrity attendees, including chef and actor David Burtka, whose credits include “How I Met Your Mother” and “A Series of Unfortunate Events” with husband Neil Patrick Harris.
“This is an incredibly huge step forward for the LGBTQ community,” Burtka told HuffPost in an emailed statement. “I’ve never seen a show like this before and I hope more designers take note.”
Echoing those sentiments was trans actress and advocate Laverne Cox, who gushed about the show in an emotional Instagram post.
Check out more photos from Marco Marco’s Collection Seven show, produced by Style Fashion Week New York, below.