This week, Alex Consani made fashion history. At a glittering ceremony on Monday night, the 21-year old Californian was named British Fashion Council's Model of the Year. This makes her 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 understood her gender identity when she was four years old, and began transitioning at eight. She started modelling at 12, 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 knowingly madcapUsed to describe silly and funny behaviour or a plan that is very silly and funny and unlikely to succeed.. Recent videos show her wackily 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 about 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. At a time when trans Americans are worried about what a Trump administration will mean for their rights, it might show that fashion can be used to increase the acceptance of trans identities throughout society. 

High fashion has often trailblazedIntroduced 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, including designers Yves Saint-Laurent, Gianni Versace and Alexander McQueen.

Yet you can also tell a darker story. Journalist Maureen Callahan writes: "No business is as seductive and brutish, as cruel and transactional as fashion." Designer Tom Ford once said: "Fashion is evil".

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. In 2011 designer John Galliano was found guilty of anti-Semitic abuse. He remains head of a major brand.

Fashion's commitment to representation might only be window-dressing. Campbell has described being underpaid compared to white models. Consani's popularity online gives her power. But if she did not have so many fans she might not be treated so well.

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. Designer Karl Lagerfeld once said: "No one wants to see curvy women". 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. Some reputedly eat tissues to avoid caloriesThe amount of energy released when your body digests and absorbs food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it gives your body. . These 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 monolith, 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.