Bruce Weber for Barneys
High-end N.Y.C. shopping mecca Barneys New York has long been a trailblazer, from its spectacular window displays to its spotlighting of young up-and-coming designers. And now they’re doing it again, featuring 17 diverse transgender models in a black-and-white campaign shot by legendary fashion photographer Bruce Weber, called “Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters.”
Weber shot a series of photographs and videos for the campaign that feature his subjects — some professional models, others musicians, students and activists — around N.Y.C., dressed in designer clothing and often surrounded by friends and family. The photos will be accompanied by personal interviews with each model about their personal experience as a transgender person, and a longer video and several short films featuring the models will live on Barneys.com.
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“I hope that my photographs and films of these 17 new friends, who are transgender men and women, convey the respect I have for them and how I stand in awe of their courage to face the world,” Weber said in a statement.
In his own statement, creative director Dennis Freedman said, “Great progress has been made in regards to the lesbian, gay and bisexual community. Unfortunately, the struggle for transgender equality continues. In the end, it is our hope that that we can make a difference through this campaign.” Barneys New York partnered with the National Center for Transgender Equality and the LGBT Community Center on the campaign, and 10% of all sales on Feb. 11 will be split between the two organizations.
Are you loving this trend towards more non-traditional models? How beautiful are these photos?
–Alex Apatoff
