Origins of a queer modeling agency: The LGBTQ+ fashion business story of Stud Model Project

Self-taught, relying on herself as much as her community, Teresa Morcho has built a business model that disrupts the modeling industry, and in this edition of Marketing Queer Fashion, I want to bring you all the insights I learned from my interview with the founder.

I talked to Teresa Morcho [She/Her] in the second episode of season one of Transition of Style – The Queer Fashion Podcast. Together, we delved into the origin story of the Stud Model Project, LLC — a model agency dedicated to empowering and providing a platform for black masculine-presenting individuals assigned female at birth. 

Through her own personal journey and that of her agency, Teresa teaches us about how determination and real inclusivity can lead to impactful change within the fashion industry, where diversity and representation are crucial for breaking stereotypes and creating opportunities.

Teresa’s story was already featured in parts in the round-up of Season 1 of Transition of Style. This round-up is a summary of some of the main insights from the first season of Transition of Style, the LGBTQ+ fashion business podcast hosted by me, Rocio Sanchez .

Want to hear more? Listen to the podcast ▶️ https://transitionofstyle[.]com/ ◀️

A queer entrepreneur’s origin story

A "stud" lesbian is a term that originates from within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly among Black and African-American communities.

Originally, it refers to a black lesbian who exhibits what might be considered traditionally masculine traits in terms of appearance, behavior, and gender expression. Studs often present themselves in a masculine way, wearing clothing and hairstyles that align with male fashion, and they may or may not identify strictly within the binary understanding of gender roles.

In our interview, Teresa Morcho explains that the Stud Model Project came to life because “there was a need for something different when it came to specifically masculine presenting people who are assigned female at birth, and also Black.”

This specific lack of stud representation in fashion was felt by Teresa first-hand, as she explains at the beginning of the episode, when she shares her personal story. 

After her arrival in the US at age 11, Teresa, originally from Cameroon, began her journey into self-discovery and exploration of gender expression. She recalls for example going to prom wearing a tuxedo, and explains that pretty early on, she “knew that [she] had an equal balance of what feminine and masculine energy was”.

Through this personal experience with gender expression, the idea of the Stud Model Project came to be for Teresa, in particular in response to the lack of representation she noticed within the fashion industry. While things are always changing and adapting to the times, still to this day, the lack of diversity in the fashion world is obvious, in particular when it comes to gender non conforming individuals and people of color. 

While studs may not be completely invisible within the industry, Teresa notes that for a long time, “if they were represented, they were represented in such a way that kept them in a box and made people feel like if they saw one, they have seen them all and they know what they’re about.''

The Stud Model Project was born out of a very practical observation from Teresa: her own personal exploration of gender through fashion led her to notice a specific gap within the fashion industry. Her modeling agency was created as a response to fill this gap, and open up new opportunities for a demographic that was (and still is) largely underrepresented. 

As previously discussed in the Season 1 round-up — like many other queer businesses — the Stud Model Project is a deeply personal venture, and is intimately tied to the story of Teresa herself. 

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The Stud Model Project: filling a gap in the fashion industry

The Stud Model Project presents itself as not only a fashion agency, but a development agency. Because the demographic represented through the company is so ostracized from the fashion world, the Stud Model Project accompanies each model every step of the way, and offers each client a safe space to explore their identities and grow their portfolios. 

The agency provides a suite of development services tailored to the unique needs of studs, including coaching on runway walks, posing, makeup for masculine-presenting individuals, and fashion styling. 

In our interview, Teresa Morcho perfectly articulates the special needs of studs within the fashion world when she says: 

This group of models have been outcast from the fashion industry, outcasts from the modeling industry. So they don’t have those structures put in place for them to learn the soft skills of the industry. [...] 

If they go to certain development programs, they’re teaching them how to walk like men, or they’re teaching them how to walk like women. And it’s, they’re two different things, but they also can be meshed into one unique way of androgyny. And when androgyny sits on someone who has a Black body, it’s completely different. [...] 

Blackness in itself is masculine to society. So when you put that on a person that’s assigned female at birth, that’s also presenting masculine, there’s this idea that all studs want to be men. And that’s not the case. That’s not the case at all.

Navigating a gender expression that challenges the binary is difficult for anybody inside the fashion industry, but there are very specific challenges that Black masculine presenting individuals face in particular, and the Stud Model Project presents itself as an agency to facilitate the management of such profiles. 

Morcho’s approach is subversive because it offers a direct solution to the practical observation that was discussed previously. By focusing on development and community building, the Stud Model Project offers a platform for their models to be soft, androgynous, and explore various facets of modeling within a supportive environment

The creation of the Stud Model Project stems from a very concrete need within the fashion world, but that doesn’t mean that the company never faced any hurdles. Teresa Morcho mentions specifically the significant challenges of being taken seriously as a qualified leader in her field, especially when seeking support from traditional institutions like banks, etc. She explains: 

When I go into spaces and I’m talking about what I’m talking about, it’s like they take me seriously, but until they see the paperwork then it’s like, oh, we need somebody else that’s more qualified to partner with you to do this. [...] And I’m like, there’s really no one in my industry that knows what I know. [...] So I feel like I have to work 10 times harder.

Because the Stud Model Project is such a specific agency, because it is catered for such a specific community and because Teresa Morcho’s profile doesn’t correspond to the conventional journey of a business leader — but is more based on self-education and practical experience — the CEO is often faced with skepticism and barriers. 

Such discrimination in business is unfortunately not an uncommon experience for LGBT business leaders, as pointed out in the Season 1 round-up. But despite the systemic bias and the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs who come from marginalized backgrounds, Morcho's experience highlights the importance of resilience, self-belief, and the creative overcoming of barriers in pursuit of one's vision and mission. 

The Stud Model Project, despite these hurdles, has risen above the challenges and is today praised by the community it serves, and by outside actors like BET for example, which spotlighted the company.

Some business lessons to learn from the Stud Model Project

The story of the Stud Model Project, the vision and the community behind it, is an inspiring example of success along with integrity. There are many things to learn from Teresa and her company, but for now, here are 3 takeaways to help building your own brand:

Add personalization and human connection to your business model

The Stud Model Project distinguishes itself by presenting models not just as professionals but as individuals with unique personalities, interests, and stories. 

This approach fosters a deeper connection between the models and the audience, moving beyond the traditional impersonal presentation of models to highlight the human aspect of each individual involved. This personal touch is integral to building a community that values and recognizes the uniqueness of each member.

Let’s de-emphasize size in modeling

Challenging the conventional modeling industry norms, the Stud Model Project takes a groundbreaking approach by not immediately disclosing models' sizes on their profiles. 

This strategy shifts the focus from physical measurements to the models' personalities and skills, advocating for a more inclusive and less objectifying representation of models. It underscores the project's commitment to valuing individuals for who they are rather than their physical attributes, aligning with the broader goals of inclusivity and diversity.

Integrate empowerment and accessibility in your operations

The Stud Model Project is committed to making the dream of modeling attainable for Black studs by providing necessary resources, training, and support. By encouraging individuals to join the project and offering them the tools they need to succeed in the industry, the project empowers its members to pursue their aspirations. 

This approach not only supports the professional development of models but also reinforces the project's role as a catalyst for change in the fashion industry, making it a beacon of hope and opportunity for those who may have felt excluded from traditional modeling paths.

To learn even more lessons from Teresa herself, listen to Transition of Style, the queer fashion podcast for business entrepreneurs! 

Listen to the podcast on ▶️ https://transitionofstyle[.]com/ ◀️

Support the queer fashion podcast for season 2!

If you enjoyed this reading and would like to hear more inspiring business stories in the future, consider donating to keep Transition of Style going! 

You can do so via Venmo, Cashapp, Buy Me A Coffee, or Paypal. Ready to help queer entrepreneurs in fashion make it? 

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