Model 101: Hari Nef

Your go-to guide on American model and actress Hari Nef.

When is her birthday?

October 21, 1992

What are her most well-known events/shoots?

In June 2015, Nef did a photoshoot for Vogue.com, and has walked multiple New York and Paris Fashion Week shows in 2015 and 2016. She was also a part of L’Oreal’s “Your Skin, Your Story” campaign for diversity in January 2017, becoming L’Oreal’s first transgender model.

What else do you need to know about Hari Nef?

She grew up in Newton, Massachusetts before attending Columbia University and graduating with a degree in drama. Shortly after her college graduation, she signed with IMG Models and became the first openly transgender woman to sign with a worldwide modeling management.

In 2015, Nef was cast as a recurring character in the Amazon Prime series Transparent. She appeared in the show’s second season as the main character’s aunt.

In addition to being an actress and a model, Nef also served as a columnist for multiple publications including Vice, Dazed, and Adult magazine.

As a Jewish, openly transgender woman, Nef advocates for many social justice issues. She attended post-election Trump protests and the Washington, D.C. Women’s March, and feels very strongly about the importance of visibility and self-authenticity. However, she notes that her gender identity is not the most interesting part about her, and has expressed her desire for the public to respect her comfort levels.

i take no pleasure in discussing trans issues. i do it only when i feel compelled to. i do not take these cues from outside the community

— hari nef (@harinef) January 25, 2017

Nef is insightful yet playful, intellectual yet humorous, dynamic yet down-to-earth, and her extraordinary personality has drawn tens of thousands of people around the world to admire her and her work.