Teri Toye Explained

Teri Toye is a former model and historic preservationist from Des Moines, Iowa. She is widely regarded as the first successful openly transgender model in the United States, and is best known for her work with designers such as Stephen Strouse, Thierry Mugler, and Jean Paul Gaultier.[1] [2] [3]

Early life and modeling career

Toye was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa with one sister.[4] In the late 1970s, she moved to New York City to study fashion at Parsons School of Design, though she later dropped out as her modeling career took off.[5] [6] While a student there, she began her gender transition.[7] Toye met Steven Meisel at a party thrown by Gabriel Rotello, and began modeling for an illustration class that he taught at Parsons. She became involved in the downtown culture of the East Village in the early 1980s, frequenting clubs such as Studio 54 and meeting designers like Stephen Sprouse. Toye rose to prominence as a model after serving as Sprouse's muse and walking in his 1984 show at The Ritz night club. [8] [9] [10] [11]

In 1984, she was named "Girl of the Year" by New York Times fashion columnist John Duka. Toye was represented by Frances Grill of Click,[12] walked in shows internationally for Chanel, and appeared in editorials for Interview.[13] Toye also became friends with artists of the East Village scene, including Nan Goldin and Greer Lankton. She was Lankton's maid of honor and the subject of a doll by Lankton, which has been exhibited at galleries like Civilian Warfare and Participant Inc.[14] [15] [16] [17]

Historic preservation work

In 1987, Toye married art dealer Patrick Fox and moved back to Des Moines. She became involved in real estate and local advocacy groups for the preservation of historic homes, and continues to work as a specialist for FEMA consulting on historic preservation and renovation.[18] [19] In 1993, Toye and Fox purchased the Hatton House, a 130-year old Stick style home in the River Bend neighborhood. Toye prevented the destruction of the house and preserved original features using a grant from the State Historic Preservation Office in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.[20] [21] When Toye and Fox divorced in 1995, she retained full ownership of the home.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Factora . James . January 24, 2022 . Unapologetically Queer Designer Manfred Thierry Mugler Has Died . October 18, 2023 . Them Magazine.
  2. Blasberg . Derek . March 24, 2017 . Models Matter: A Love Letter to the Women Who Shaped the Industry . October 18, 2023 . Vanity Fair.
  3. Web site: Yuan . Jada . Wong . Aaron . December 2015 . The First Black Trans Model Had Her Face on A Box of Clairol . October 18, 2023 . The Cut.
  4. Web site: Walker . Andre . December 16, 2009 . Heroes: Teri Toye . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091216145810/https://vmagazine.com/article.php?n=12232 . December 16, 2009 . October 18, 2023 . V Magazine.
  5. News: Carothers-Kay . Ann . November 16, 1996 . Passion for Preservation . 34 . The Des Moines Register . October 18, 2023.
  6. Book: Brown, Elspeth . Work!: A Queer History of Modeling . Duke University Press . 2019 . 9781478002147 . Durham, North Carolina.
  7. Web site: Gross . Michael . October 2, 1992 . Madonna's Magician: How Lensman Steven Meisel, the Cat in the Hat, Makes Things Click . October 18, 2023 . New York Magazine.
  8. Web site: Gilhart . Julie . September 7, 2016 . Unforgettable Moments (New York Fashion Week: An Oral History) . October 18, 2023 . The New York Times.
  9. News: Hogrefe . Jeffrey . October 2, 1984 . It's a Mod, Mod World . October 18, 2023 . The Washington Post.
  10. Web site: Street . Mikelle . November 30, 2018 . Born Beautiful: A Short History of Trans Models in Fashion . October 18, 2023 . Out Magazine.
  11. Web site: Strong . Lester Q . November 2009 . Stephen Sprouse's Time to Design . October 18, 2023 . The Gay & Lesbian Review.
  12. Web site: Laneri . Raquel . February 16, 2019 . How one agent changed fashion by opening the modeling world . October 18, 2023 . New York Post.
  13. Web site: Linn . James . August 14, 2008 . Tranny Models Who Made History . October 18, 2023 . The Cut.
  14. Web site: Goldin . Nan . October 1999 . Features: Greer Lankton . October 18, 2023 . ArtForum.
  15. Web site: Cotter . Holland . December 4, 2014 . The Artist and the Work, Both Intricate and Fluid . October 18, 2023 . The New York Times.
  16. Web site: Cohen . Alina . February 15, 2019 . 1980s Icon Greer Lankton Explored Glamour and Gender in Her Eerie Dolls . October 18, 2023 . Artsy.
  17. Web site: Gonzalez . Rita . February 7, 2019 . Q&A with Paul Monroe: Life and Work of Greer Lankton . October 18, 2023 . Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
  18. Web site: Hines . Holly . June 21, 2014 . Hubbard Park site holds clues of early black culture . October 18, 2023 . Iowa City Press Citizen.
  19. Web site: Basu . Rekha . August 7, 2014 . Losing Kruidenier home would be blow to D.M. . October 18, 2023 . The Des Moines Register.
  20. Web site: Stamps . Danelle Theresa . January 1, 2006 . The Many Histories of the Hatton House . October 18, 2023 . Iowa State University Digital Repository.
  21. Web site: Pitts . Jeff . January 4, 2017 . Hatton House: If these walls could talk... . October 18, 2023 . DMV Cityview.

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