Vivian Wilson, Elon Musk's Estranged Daughter, Makes New York Fashion Week Debut in Support of Trans Rights

Vivian Wilson, the 21-year-old model who publicly cut ties with her father Elon Musk after coming out as transgender, has used her first New York Fashion Week appearance to spotlight the fight for trans rights.

Vivian Wilson has officially made her mark on New York Fashion Week.

The 21-year-old model, daughter of author Justine Wilson and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, appeared on the runway on Friday, September 12, 2025 in Brooklyn-based designer Alexis Bittar's Spring-Summer 2026 collection. The show, titled "MISS USA 1991: a Dream Sequence," leaned into retro pageant glamour with a modern political edge.

Wilson took the stage in a sparkling, floor-length red gown paired with a satin sash emblazoned with "Miss South Carolina." The costume wasn't chosen at random: several models were styled as contestants from states where anti-trans legislation has recently gained traction. Alongside Wilson, others represented states such as Florida, West Virginia, Utah, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana.

"This is about calling out the places where trans rights are under attack," Wilson explained, highlighting the show's deliberate use of pageant symbolism to challenge policies targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

For Wilson, the debut comes at a unique crossroads of personal and public identity. Though her surname has long linked her to one of the most famous tech moguls in the world, she has worked to step outside that shadow.

After coming out as transgender in 2020, Wilson sought independence not just financially but also personally, moving to legally separate herself from Musk in 2022. In her court petition, she made it clear she no longer wished to be "related to [her] biological father in any way, shape, or form."

Her estrangement from Musk has only fueled public fascination. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has fathered a large and complex family, with at least 14 children across four relationships over the past two decades.

He shares six children with his first wife Justine Wilson, though one died in infancy; three with musician Grimes; and four with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.

Earlier this year, reports surfaced of two more children — one announced by conservative commentator Ashley St. Clair and another attributed to Zilis — though Musk has yet to acknowledge them publicly.

For Wilson, however, her presence at NYFW wasn't about her father's legacy but her own. Her appearance underscored both her budding career in fashion and her outspoken commitment to trans rights — a statement made all the more powerful under the glare of the runway lights.