Teddy Quinlivan’s Decade in Street Style

Photographed by Phil Oh

This week, we’ve revisited street-style images from as far back as 2011 in our series of “evolution” stories tracing women’s style through the decades. Hanne Gaby Odiele and Michelle Elie have all appeared in both Phil Oh’s earliest slideshows for Vogue.com and his most recent, but this walk down memory lane doesn’t cover quite as much ground. Teddy Quinlivan’s first runway show was in 2015 for Louis Vuitton, but her ascent to street-style superstardom has been exceptionally swift. The model and outspoken trans activist wore graphic T-shirts and sneakers for her first few seasons, but quickly found her signature look with more futuristic pieces by the likes of Maison Margiela, Paco Rabanne, and Vuitton. Chrome dresses, feather-covered jackets, barely-there bodysuits—she’s worn it all, and more importantly, those statement pieces never look like they’re wearing her.

Quinlivan has that in common with the other street-style regulars we’ve highlighted thus far. She takes great photos because it isn’t just about the clothes; she’s always ready to strike a pose, perch on a statue, or contend with massive swarms of photographers, and yet she always looks at ease. It all comes down to her singular attitude and confidence (though there’s no arguing she has an excellent eye, too). In fact, Quinlivan has likely inspired other on-the-rise models to get a little more experimental with their style. Here, we’re revisiting 32 of her very best photos through the years, in chronological order; you can expect to see many more when the menswear and couture shows kick off in Europe in a few weeks.