This week, Alex Consani made fashion history. On Monday night the 21-year-old Californian was named British Fashion Council's Model of the Year. She is the first transgenderSomeone whose gender identity (what they feel inside) does not match the gender identity they were assigned at birth (based on their biology). model to be honoured with the prize.

Consani is a trans pioneerA person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area of activity.. She began transitioning at eight and started modelling at 12 years old, making her the youngest trans model in the world.

She is also a TikTok phenomenon, with four million followers for her account @captincroook. Her admirers call her "the people's princess".

While the supermodels of the past presented themselves with steely restraintModeration or self-control. , Consani is open and funny. Recent videos show her dancing in a train, running through the streets and wearing a fake nose. The last of these received 35.7 million views.

Consani has spoken on the lack of representation in fashion. She told Elle: "I wanted to fill the void and show other trans and non-binarySomeone who does not identify as a boy or a girl. people that it is beautiful to be trans - not something to be ashamed of."

Her victory could empower other trans people. It might show that fashion can be used to increase the acceptance of trans identities throughout society. 

High fashion has often been trailblazingIntroducing new ideas or ways of doing things. when it comes to representation. British supermodel Naomi Campbell is a long-term activist against racial bias. Fashion has embraced numerous queer people, such as designers Yves Saint-Laurent, Gianni Versace and Alexander McQueen.

Yet you can also tell a darker story. Fashion history is full of truly nasty people. Coco Chanel dated a Nazi agent and tried to use anti-SemiticShowing hatred or prejudice towards Jewish people. laws to remove a Jewish business partner from her perfume company.

Even the motivations of the industry are suspicious. Fashion has been accused of imposing unrealistic ideals of beauty and glamour. It works by convincing people - especially women - that they need to look a certain way to be attractive.

This often hinges on body size. A survey this year found that 95% of runway outfits used size-zeroA women's body type that is extremely thin, with a very low body mass index (BMI) and minimal body fat. models.¹

To attain extreme slimness, models starve themselves. Eating disorders have led to weakness, mental health problems and even death. Fashion ruins lives, just to sell clothes and make-up.

Is fashion a force for good?

Yes: Great fashion is a thing of beauty. And beautiful things make the world a better place for everyone. The industry has its problems, but so do almost all sectors - and few give us such a visual feast.

No: The fashion industry is built on body shaming, exclusivity and prejudice. On top of this, the clothes we wear are often produced in brutal sweatshops. And they have an enormous environmental cost.

Or... Fashion is not a monolithA single big stone, often standing upright. Also used to describe large political, social or corporate structures that are slow to move or change. , but an enormous collection of different people and groups with varied values. And it is complex: what proves empowering to one individual could disempower another.