Meet Rye, The First Transgender Model of ModCloth’s Latest Kick Ass Campaign
ModCloth, you have our hearts (and a chunk of our style budget) forever + always. Hot off the fashionable heels of the company’s anti-Photoshop pledge, all-size-inclusive clothing line and real women bathing suit campaign, the online retailer has gone and given us all the feels once more by debuting its first dress named after a transgender woman <3
In September ModCloth launched #fashiontruth — an outlet that provides clothing in a range of sizes + where the company casts all types of women from its community for modeling. This campaign wants to establish a sense of belonging between shoppers and the brand as they shine a spotlight on a particular member every month. April happens to be a monumental one as writer and comedian Rye Silverman is currently in the #Fashiontruth Spotlight, making her a new funny one to watch and, oh yeah, the fashion outlet’s first transgender community model.
Rye first caught ModCloth’s attention after regularly contributing to the Style Gallery, a spot where users upload their purchases to “inspire and admire.” The active community member (who shared with ModCloth that she prefers female pronouns) explains why the social page was so important for her and her personal style: “The Style Gallery did so much for me in regards to really gaining confidence to both assert my own style, as well as take risks and chances and draw inspiration. Everyone on there is doing so much fun stuff with their clothes, and it’s great to be part of that.”
Rye’s story pre-pending-ModCloth fame is a pretty cool one. After doing standup for years, she knew the only way to keep succeeding at the profession was to be fully open with the audience, so that’s exactly what she did at the age of 27. She told ModCloth that that age “was when I finally faced my fears about it [being a transgender woman] and knew I couldn’t carry the secret of it, and was tired of feeling ashamed about it. My act had already started getting much more personal and honest and so coming out onstage seemed an obvious and necessary step. In general the audiences have been receptive, some occasional scary moments but overall I feel like if I can just get a few jokes out, I’ll be okay.” Go, girl!
Not only is Rye featured this month on ModCloth, but she also is the company’s first transgender woman to have a dress named after her. The All About Rye Dress ($100) has a purple and red plaid pattern with a flared skirt and pockets, accented with button hearts. It totally goes along with her style, which she described in depth to the company as one that evolves over time but currently is a “quirky or edgy twist on vintage.” Rye dishes: “I love rockabilly-type stuff or circle skirts that have interesting prints on them. The two garments I currently get the most positive responses to are my Mew-seum Visit Dress and my PacMan-themed circle skirt. I’ve noticed in the last year or so more and more of my skirts and dresses have fun prints. But when I’m kind of just looking for a more relaxed, chill look I shift into a more ’90s vibe.” Hey Rye, we love the ’90s, too!
While the news of a clothing company featuring a transgender woman may not seem like a big deal to some, the visibility of a spotlight like this actually is. Rye echoed that sentiment to BuzzFeed, “I think there has started to be this great sea change towards real bodies and authentic beauty and I hope to see that continue. I know I’m a bit of an extreme case but I still love the way we’re really moving towards letting people see that they’re beautiful.” We heart you Rye + ModCloth. <3
To find out even more about Rye, check out her favorite ModCloth styles or go read her blog Chick Like Me. It’s filled with info on her upcoming comedy album (out April 28).
Will you be purchasing the All About Rye Dress or any of Rye’s other ModCloth #Fashiontruth looks? Let us know in the comments.
