Valentine Sampaio: what do we know about the first transgender model Victoria's Secret

A few days ago, all the world's media wrote about that in the Victoria's Secret appeared the first transgender model - Brazilian Valentine Sampaio. Against the background of last year's transphobic statements Director of Marketing brand Edward Razek, this news has taken on special significance: the company showed that it is ready to change his philosophy and to keep pace with the times. Heroine has collected all that is known about the new angel of Victoria's Secret today.

She believes her childhood happy

Sampaio was born in the fishing village of Aquiraz town in the northeast of Brazil. Valentina's family is quite usual: my mother - a schoolteacher, and his father - a fisherman.

Despite the difficulties with gender identity in an interview with Valentina he calls his childhood completely happy. My parents have always supported and is very proud of her, harassment from classmates, too, was not - explains how Sampaio, they had already seen her little girl.

According to the model, it always felt like a girl. As she said in an interview with the Mexican Elle:

I always felt like a girl, presenting her world is very airy, filled with flowers and pink. I had a notebook in which I have always painted dolls, writing stories and doing fashion sketches. Over time, this all develop naturally.

At 8 years old parents took her to a psychologist, and he defined it as transgender. It is known that up to 12 years Sampaio did not change the name to Valentine, and how the model name used, and the details of transitioning she prefers not to talk. First she studied architecture in Fortaleza, but then moved on to study at the College of Fashion. There she was noticed and invited to one of São Paulo agencies.

The girl has spent a lot of energy to fight the prejudices

Valentine has never concealed that changed the floor, even though it caused a lot of problems in her career. So, in 2014, a brand she refused, citing the fact that his clients "are too conservative and will not take well to the transsexual model." Many times she had heard: "This client does not want to transgender", but each failure only filled her determination to fight discrimination.

I think that to us should be treated exactly the same as other women: if you come to work on the standards of beauty, then you should choose, regardless of any gender perception.

To make the way to the podium helped her participation in the independent film

Achieved fame across the country helped her shooting the independent film, held in Rio de Janeiro. The picture shown on the São Paulo Fashion Week. There is not it drew the attention of the local fashion industry. In 2016 she came to the podium at the Fashion Week in the same place in Sao Paulo.

Soon, L'Oréal took off on the model short film that released March 8, and then the company has made Sampaio brand ambassador.

This is not the first time she broke the glass ceiling in vogue

Valentine Sampaio has become the first transgender model - in February 2017 it has attracted the world's attention by appearing on the cover of French Vogue. In the same year, Valentine appeared on the cover of Vogue Brasil and Vogue Germany. Sampaio made a good career To his 22 years in mind: shot for Vogue, Elle, other magazines, has worked with brands such as L'Oreal, Moschino, L'Oréal, Opening Ceremony, Philipp Plein, H & M, Levi's. However, working with Victoria's Secret - definitely a new level in her career, however, as a new stage in the history of the legendary brand.

In the past year, she has tried to get into Victoria's Secret

Jobs in Victoria's Secret for Valentina Sampaio - not just another step, but a dream. It is known that in the past year, she has tried to get in there - she was photographed when she went to audition, but not hired. In the same year, Edward Razek said the infamous phrase that plus size models and transgender people have no place in their shows.

A little less than a year, and the brand changed his mind. The first step for change was the refusal of the Victoria's Secret classic annual display to "rethink the traditional show." The next - the news of the first transgender model in the company.

Valentine Sampaio has not yet made loud statements in connection with his new status. Although the phrase, which she signed with beksteyzha photo shoot for Victoria's Secret: "Do not stop dreaming", has already said how much it meant to her.