Texan Trans Model Mylla James Is Ready for Her Close-up

Anyone who has come into the orbit of the fashion industry knows the path to the runway isn’t well-paved. It takes a lot more than great cheekbones to assure success, which is why shows such as Here-TV’s upcoming Road to the Runway matter. Profiling leading transgender agency Slay Model Managment's search for the next big thing, the show has been successful enough that the subscription-based network renewed it for a second season premiering Aug. 5.

One of the hopefuls looking for her spot in the industry — and on the show — is Mylla James. Born in Azle as Jamie, the aspiring catwalker always felt she was different, but a career as a model had never seemed far out of reach.

"It was a tiny town, and there wasn't anybody who looked like me in the entire town," she recalls. "I'm Black and white, and I didn't know my father, so I always grew up thinking I looked odd. But then I started looking at magazines and saw all the women in magazines were skinny and kind of awkward looking and, somehow, I saw myself in those women."

Wearing heels and women's clothing at an early age, James was encouraged to be herself wholeheartedly by her mother. After moving out at 17, she eventually relocated to Dallas, where she worked as a bartender and server at the Cedar Springs Tap House, occasionally performing in the bar's drag shows. She credits that experience and repeated viewings of RuPaul's Drag Race for opening her eyes to her ultimate identity.

"Before, I was trying to survive. I didn't have time to explore what I wanted," she says. "But working in a gay bar, I got to explore more, so I started wearing makeup every day. People started asking me, 'What do you prefer as your gender pronouns?'

"I didn't know I got to choose! Once I realized the world might be ready, and I was ready, I started looking in the mirror and seeing what made me feel comfortable and beautiful and powerful because I knew I was looking at the mirror at a full woman."

James initially chose Jamylla as her name, shortening it to Mylla for its "super flavorful and easy to say" qualities. She also began attending local go-sees, and met with Wallflower Management, who were initially interested. But James says she froze up during the test shoots.

She applied to Slay for three full years and was finally contacted by the agency's founder and director Cece Asuncion in January 2022 as he was scouting for Runway.

"I drove down to Austin, and he told me I made [the show]," James says. "Because I knew he had the biggest trans agency in the world, it felt amazing just to be considered as one of the candidates, let alone as one of the top 20. Then I found out I was the only Texas representative, so I felt I was carrying the weight of Texas on me. When you think of [the state], you don't necessarily think of me, but I'm glad to be representing."

Although the show could be considered the offspring of Drag Race-meets-America's Next Top Model, it has none of the bitchiness and competitive spirit of its forebears. Instead, the taping of Road to the Runway was a love fest and a bonding moment for its participants, who consider themselves "sisters for life" and still have a group chat.

"We don't foster the sort of drama and bickering and meanness that is seen on a lot of these other shows," says the network's co-founder and Runway executive producer Stephen Jarchow. "We made it clear that was not the mode we were going to follow. I think the fact that people were nice to one another  emanates from the fact they all have a little bit of a shared experience and need all the support they can get. It's nice to be among others who are like you, and they pulled for each other and developed very good friendships."

James says that intention came through.

"We all understood what we were there to do," the model says. "We all want to be a star and rep for the younger trans youth and kids that look like us. We all supported each other, and it was sad when we saw a sister get eliminated, but there can be only one winner. It was a win just to be in the room, and I think we were all great representatives of what our community can stand for."

It's a unique cultural moment for Runway. On the one hand, you have near constant tone-deaf remarks against the trans community by J.K. Rowling and, just this month, from Macy Gray. On the other, you have the cast of Pose gracing the covers of Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and V, and Euphoria (trans) actress Hunter Schafer landing Prada campaigns. The truth is, in 2022, there's more room than ever for beauty of all types, shapes and sizes.

"It's a culture shift, and it's scary to some people and some of the generations that didn't have it like this," James says. "Honestly, it's a new day, it's a better day, and it's a more accepting day. Love is the way. If you think with your heart, it will make sense."

Although the show's winner is yet to be revealed, James says she already has an offer with Slay and another agency, and the future looks bright. She's going to dream it to be it — and dream big.

"One of my huge goals is to walk in the Savage Fenty show, and I know it's gonna happen," she says with a laugh. "It could be my two-year plan or my five-year plan, but it's the one thing I'll do before I'm in the dirt. I'd also love to be on a Times Square billboard or a magazine passed around in the country so that some young misfit will find it and say, 'Wow, this person is me, on there being beautiful.' I'd love to be that representation."