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United Kingdom Munroe Bergdorf is a pioneering model, writer, and activist who utilizes her platform to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and social justice.
In 2017, Bergdorf was named the face of a L'Oréal Paris' U.K. campaign, making history as the brand's first transgender model. She was rehired by L'Oréal in 2020 to join their UK Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board after she criticized the brand for selective solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Tinder welcomed Munroe Bergdorf as its first Empowerment Ambassador. Munroe is a trailblazing model, author, and activist known for her advocacy.
In 2022, Munroe Bergdorf became the first trans model on the cover of UK Cosmopolitan for its 50th-anniversary issue.
Munroe Bergdorf joined UN Women UK as an advocate in 2019, supporting its #DrawALine campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM). In November 2023, UN Women named Bergdorf as its first UK Champion.
In September 2017, the UK-based Illamasqua hired Bergdorf as the face of its Beauty Spotlight campaign, which concerned gender fluidity, following her departure from L'Oréal. The company stated that Bergdorf embodied diversity and individuality and that her previous comments were edited out of context.
Bergdorf is a proud ambassador for Mermaids, a charity supporting gender variant and transgender youth.
Munroe Bergdorf was born on September 11, 1987, in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, to a Jamaican father and an English mother. Assigned male at birth, she attended Bentfield County Primary School and then The Bishop’s Stortford High School, an all-boys’ school, later describing her youth as being a “very effeminate boy.” She pursued English studies at the University of Brighton, identifying as genderqueer during this period. Her early career involved three years in fashion PR, and at the age of 24, Bergdorf began her gender transition. Concurrently with her transition, she co-founded the nightclub Pussy Palace, contributing to London’s trans scene.
Bergdorf entered the modeling industry driven by a desire to address the lack of diversity. Her first modeling job was for a Lebanese couture company. She garnered significant public attention in August 2017 when she became the first transgender model for a L’Oréal UK campaign, participating in their “True Match” campaign alongside 26 other models. This milestone positioned her as a prominent voice for trans visibility and empowerment. Later that year, in September 2017, following a controversial departure from L’Oréal, she was hired by Illamasqua as the face of their Beauty Spotlight campaign, which focused on gender fluidity. In 2020, L’Oréal re-engaged Bergdorf, appointing her to their UK Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board during the George Floyd protests.
Beyond modeling, Bergdorf has made significant strides in activism and writing. In 2018, she served briefly as an LGBT adviser to the Labour Party. She joined UN Women UK as an advocate in 2019, supporting the #DrawALine campaign against female genital mutilation. Her commitment to social justice has been recognized with honors such as ‘Changemaker of the Year’ at the 2018 Cosmopolitan Awards and an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton in 2019 for her work on transgender rights. In 2022, she became the first trans model to be featured on the cover of UK Cosmopolitan. She published her book, “Transitional,” in 2023 and “Talk to Me” in 2025. Bergdorf also hosts the podcast “The Way We Are” and presents “Queerpiphany” on MTV UK. Her documentary, “Love & Rage,” premiered in the UK in June 2025.
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