Transsexual Super Model Speaks Out

Why designers wanted to cover up Lea T.'s secret

Brazilian-born model Lea T. is one of the famous faces of Givenchy. She’s been featured in high fashion magazines, on billboards and even appeared nude for Vogue Paris. She made headlines recently when she kissed super model Kate Moss for a Love magazine photo shoot.

She’s also a transsexual.

Born Leandro Cerezo in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, she’s the daughter of famous soccer star Toninho Cerezo, and was raised in Italy where she met Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. In a recent interview, the 30-year-old model reveals that designers tried to keep her transsexuality under wraps. But she refused to hide the truth about her gender identity and shares her story here: