Sullivan Dempsey, Patrick Dempsey's son, makes his mark as a model

Sullivan Dempsey bursts onto the fashion scene amid praise and criticism

A Hollywood star's child trying their luck at modelling is hardly news. Doing it in New York, under the spotlight of a vintage fashion campaign, and having their looks spark more debate than their work, is starting to be.

Who is Sullivan Dempsey?
Sullivan, 19, is the eldest son of Patrick Dempsey – television's quintessential cardiologist – and makeup artist Jillian Fink. His modelling debut came with the vintage luxury firm Morphew World, which photographed him in a shoot some describe as segarro and others as provocative. What has drawn the most attention is his physical transformation, which has fuelled speculation about a possible gender transition, although no official source has confirmed it.

Public reaction: between freedom and prejudice
Reactions are polarized, ranging from those who applaud his freedom of expression to those who see it as a marketing stunt or, worse, a symptom of an industry gone mad. There is no shortage of disparaging comments about his appearance, nor of people pointing out that simply being the son of a celebrity already guarantees him a career. The truth is that, official figures aside, Sullivan is achieving what many models with longer careers cannot: getting people to talk about him.

Is the fashion industry ready for models who break the mould? Judging by the noise, the answer is yes, but on one condition: that the surname continues to matter more than identity.