Vogue India’s August cover star Anjali Lama shares her journey as a queer model in the fashion industry

From embarking on a two-hour long journey on foot to school each day to walking the runway at New York Fashion Week, Anjali Lama has come a long way from when she was growing up in a remote village in the Nuwakot district of Nepal. Her childhood was spent simmering in the archaic ideologies of gender norms. Things took a turn when she moved to Kathmandu, at the age of 17, where she worked at a restaurant. “Modelling just happened to me. I didn’t even know what modelling or fashion was before I moved to the city,” she tells Vogue.

With her slender frame, and a face that reflects her fierce determination, Lama today continues to march on against the odds stacked against her. “I believe fashion can serve as a great medium to spread awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community,” she says. “I can articulate my identity through fashion, I’ve made my name through it. Every time someone asks who Anjali Lama is – she’s a transgender model. Media sparks a conversation and holds great power in shaping social values and ideas.”

Here, the model tells us about her challenging but rewarding journey, her personal style, and her aspirations for the future.

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Chloe Chou: You grew up in a small town in Nepal. Could you tell us a little about the journey that shaped your identity?

Anjali Lama: Where I grew up, it’s not even a small town. It was a remote village–so remote that I would have to walk two hours each way to go to school. I come from a very poor farming family with four brothers and two sisters. We were a family of nine including my parents and our lives depended completely on farming. Because of my feminine behaviour, I was treated differently not just at school, but also at home by my siblings and parents. I didn’t quite fit with their notions of gender identity. They often taunted me saying, “You’re a boy, but you talk like a girl. You walk like a girl.” It wasn’t the most pleasant childhood, but it has turned me into the person I am today.

CC: Did you always know you wanted to transition?

AL: I knew nothing until I left the village. I was about 16 or 17 years old when I finished school and moved to Kathmandu. I only discovered that there are other people like me, who like me, did not feel like they belonged to their assigned sex then and seeked the LGBTQIA+ community. This was a turning point in my life; when I decided to transition. I finally accepted what I had felt all those years growing up and made my decision. I discovered a community centre called the Blue Diamond Centre which advocates for change in the existing laws against homosexuality and the rights of Nepal’s marginalised gay, transgender and other sexual minority communities. I educated myself and finally came to terms with my true identity as a woman in 2005.

“Fashion in my opinion has been a great medium to spread awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community. People have always responded best to entertainment, movies, and pop culture. Through fashion, I’ve been able to express my identity and really be myself and uplift my community through my work’s recognition.” — Anjali Lama

CC: How did modelling come to you?

AL: I came to Kathmandu to further complete my education and find work in the city. It wasn’t common for people from our village to move to the city to study or work, as it is in many small towns. Most people who moved to the city would fund their own education by working as labourers or in restaurants. I didn’t even know what modelling or fashion was. The customers at the restaurant I worked at would compliment my height and face, often remarking I looked like a model. At the time, I didn’t understand what those compliments meant, but I would just smile knowing they meant well. In 2007, with the support of my friends from the Blue Diamond Society, I participated in a transgender beauty pageant. I didn’t win, but I learned how to walk the ramp and began forming an interest in the field. In 2009, I got my first break for a Nepali magazine cover and decided to model. I began working at the Blue Diamond Society as an advocate, modelling was a part time job which eventually brought me to India in 2016.

CC: According to you, what role does fashion play in levelling the field for the LGBTQIA+ community?

AL: Fashion in my opinion has been a great medium to spread awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community. People have always responded best to entertainment, movies, and pop culture. Through fashion, I’ve been able to express my identity and really be myself and uplift my community through my work’s recognition.

CC: Being the first transgender model to grace the runways of Lakmé Fashion Week in 2017, do you feel a sense of responsibility to be a flag-bearer for representation in the industry?

AL: I don’t believe in pioneer-ship. The way I went about it was that I believed in myself and my mission. I don’t feel burdened by the responsibility to the next phase of transgender models. If any of my trans sisters would like to enter this industry, I would like them to fully gauge their own capability and capacity to actually be a model. One just needs to be themselves, be determined, and push themselves to realise their potential.

CC: Where do you think fashion as an industry is today in terms of diversity and inclusion?

AL: I think the change is more visible today. Since the beginning of time, we have evolved as human beings. Society has never been static, nor will be. Whether it comes to notions of gender, race, or anything, we have grown to support one another. Queer people have always been around, it’s just that we had didn’t have as much support as we do today. We used to live in fear, but with more and more people getting involved, we have more opportunities to live a dignified life today. When I first came to India in 2017, Section 377 scared me. But I didn’t want to see my dreams thwarted just because of fear and lack of trying. Now that the Act is gone, open conversations around the queer community have begun and we have more support than ever. We can file cases for harassment and file FIRs at the police station. There’s still room for change, but the law is finally recognising and protecting us.

CC: How was your experience walking the Prabal Gurung show at NYFW?

AL: It was surreal. Being a transgender person, I didn’t even imagine I would walk at Lakmé Fashion Week in India. I worked hard and was able to achieve a number of milestones I am proud of over the years. After featuring in multiple campaigns and receiving awards such as Vogue’s Model of the Year, my friends and peers encouraged me to go abroad and pursue more opportunities. However, I didn’t think I had the means and I was worried about the language barrier–I’m not very fluent in English. But modelling is not about spoken language, it’s about your body, your confidence, your facial and body structure. I tried contacting agencies in New York but didn’t find much success, probably because I am already over 30. Then someone suggested that I just go there, try to do shows, and make connections. That’s how I did it when I first came to India as well.

“Queer people have always been around, it’s just that we had didn’t have as much support as we do today. We used to live in fear, but with more and more people getting involved, we have more opportunities to live a dignified life today.” — Anjali Lama

I had initially planned to go in 2020, but COVID hit and that didn’t happen for 2 years. I went to New York earlier this year for a programme, and as soon as I finished that, NYFW was just around the corner. I went to the Prabal Gurung casting, got picked, and walked my first NYFW show. After the show, I met with a New York-based agency and today, I am proud to say that I am signed with them.

CC: You’ve lived in Nepal for the better part of your life and now live in Mumbai. With New York next, what place feels most like home to you?

AL: I have so much love for India and Nepal. Nepal is my birthplace, where my friends and family are. It’s where I have nature, peace, and great food. India is the place where my dreams have come true and my Karmabhumi (where I achieved great things) and my home now. Now, I will hopefully move to New York for the next chapter. However, I’ve always imagined my future home to be in the serene and peaceful countryside with the sound of birds chirping, no matter which country it may be in.

CC: How would you describe your personal style? How do you spend your time when you’re off duty?

AL: I don’t experiment much with my wardrobe. I like to play it safe with blacks and neutrals. In Mumbai, I stay home consuming content when I’m not working, but in my dream home, I would bask in the lap of nature all day. I’m not very active on social media.

CC: A dream designer you’d love to work with?

AL: There are so many designers in the world that I would love to work with. In India, I really want to work with Sabyasachi on a campaign. I’ve walked a show, but it’s my dream to do a campaign. I hope it comes true before I go to New York.