--- title: Diesel Features Two Transgender Models in New Collaboration description: Benjamin Melzer and Loisa Lamers are the two transgender models who are the faces of Diesel's new collaboration. canonical: https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/ author: TIME Staff article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-17T15:56:56.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T09:03:53.698Z og:title: Two Transgender Models Are the New Faces of Diesel’s Latest Campaign og:description: Loiza Lamers and Benjamin Melzer are here to ‘break that glass ceiling’ og:url: https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt002039a007bb9ba4/6988aed80a4a2272959cc14a/benjamin-melzer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Transgender model Benjamin Melzer og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Two Transgender Models Are the New Faces of Diesel’s Latest Campaign twitter:description: Loiza Lamers and Benjamin Melzer are here to ‘break that glass ceiling’ twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt002039a007bb9ba4/6988aed80a4a2272959cc14a/benjamin-melzer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Two Transgender Models Are the New Faces of Diesel’s Latest Collaboration by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Nov 17, 2016 3:56 PM UTC  Transgender model Benjamin Melzer poses in Oer-Erkenschwick, Germany, on March 11, 2016. Transgender model Benjamin Melzer poses in Oer-Erkenschwick, Germany, on March 11, 2016.Caroline Seidel—picture-alliance/AP by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Nov 17, 2016 3:56 PM UTC [Transgender models](http://motto.time.com/4501708/harpers-bazaar-india-transgender-models/) have been making waves in the fashion industry as of late, and Benjamin Melzer and Loiza Lamers are no exception. Now, the models are collaborating with the jean brand Diesel and German clothing line [About You](http://www.aboutyou.de/), [according](https://mic.com/articles/159398/transgender-models-benjamin-melzer-and-loiza-lamers-front-diesel-s-latest-campaign#.o5UIfi8ST) to _Mic._ Both Melzer and Lamers have already received their fair share of accolades in the fashion world. Melzer was the first transgender male to [appear on the cover](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/meet-ben-melzer-the-first-transsexual-cover-star-of-a-european-m/) of Germany’s _Men’s Health_ and Lamers [won](http://www.modelmanagement.com/blog/2016/03/09/loiza-lamers-first-transgender-model-to-win-hollands-next-top-model/) _Holland’s Next Top Model_, becoming the first transgender model to do so. In an interview with Mic, Melzer said he and Lamers were already working together to “raise awareness to create more opportunities for transgender models in collaborations for major brands.” Diesel heard about their idea and “loved it,” said Melzer. A Diesel spokesperson said both Melzer and Lamers “perfectly support the brand’s attitude: free-spirited, against all odds and fresh young minds.” Melzer and Lamers hope their work with Diesel will inspire other [transgender models](http://motto.time.com/4447232/transgender-model-flag-dress/). Melzer emphasized: “It’s so important right now that we continue to strive and work hard to break through that [glass ceiling](http://motto.time.com/4554621/election-day-hillary-clinton-womens-history/) so transgender men and women are not seen as a fad or hype.” Lamers echoed similar sentiments. She hopes that when people see their collaboration they will see “two hard-working models.” Watch their new video for Diesel and About You below. \[[Mic](https://mic.com/articles/159398/transgender-models-benjamin-melzer-and-loiza-lamers-front-diesel-s-latest-campaign#.o5UIfi8ST)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/"},"headline":"Two Transgender Models Are the New Faces of Diesel’s Latest Collaboration","datePublished":"2016-11-17T15:56:56.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T09:03:53.698Z","description":"Loiza Lamers and Benjamin Melzer are here to ‘break that glass ceiling’","url":"https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/","keywords":["motto"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt002039a007bb9ba4/6988aed80a4a2272959cc14a/benjamin-melzer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt002039a007bb9ba4/6988aed80a4a2272959cc14a/benjamin-melzer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Transgender model Benjamin Melzer","caption":"Transgender model Benjamin Melzer","creditText":"Caroline Seidel—picture-alliance/AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/motto/","name":"motto"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4574646/diesel-transgender-models/","name":"Two Transgender Models Are the New Faces of Diesel’s Latest Collaboration"}}]}] ```