Meet Leyna Bloom the Latest Rookie of SI Swim 2021

Leyna Bloom first gained recognition in the ballroom community and is now single-handedly changing the world of modeling. In 2017, she made headlines for being one of the few openly transgender models to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and was the first transgender woman of color to appear in Vogue India. Just two years later she was the only transgender model to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Tommy Hilfiger x Zendaya’s Fall/Winter collection. So it’s not surprising the Chicago native was named as one of the "Six Women Who Are Shaping The Future of Fashion” by Glamour. Beyond the catwalk and magazine pages, Bloom is changing the film world, too. She made her acting debut in Danielle Lessovitz’s “Port Authority,” which premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Incredibly, this marked the first film in festival history to feature a transgender woman of color in a leading role. Which field will she transform next?

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, FL wearing Dos Gardenias.

MJ Day: Why Leyna?

Leyna is legendary in the world of activism, strikingly gorgeous and has an undeniable sense of self that shines through the minute she walks on set. Her story represents one grounded in resilience and we couldn’t be more thrilled to help her tell it. Her presence as the first trans woman of color to be in our issue is a result of her lifetime dedication to forging her own path that has led to acceptance, love and change. She represents every person’s right to love themselves and be who they want to be. We are honored to have her in this year's issue and understand the effect it will have on so many others. She joins our team, not because of what she represents but because of her beauty, commitment and desire to leave the world a better place.

Tune in every day at 9 AM EST to see who will be gracing the pages of SI Swimsuit 2021! Follow @SI_Swimsuit to keep up with all the exciting news!