Asian models from fashion week
When Devon Aoki made her big debut into the fashion world, I questioned why? how? and again WHY? Sure, I was excited to finally see an Asian face in the fashion spreads but why, why in the world HER? I had non-model FRIENDS who were far prettier and taller than Devon all around me. Why did the fashion world choose and embrace Devon with her freckly round face, perma-frown and short stature (5’7” is nearly midget sized in the modeling world and only Kate Moss was able to get away with it still to this day). And here Devon was suddenly gracing the covers, walking the catwalks and gaining international fame all the while inadvertently representing Asian beauty for us all.
photo from listal.com
I likened Devon to Alek Wek another quizzical ethnic newbie on the fashion front. Both were loved for their untraditional beauty and extreme racial features. “Exotic” (I hate that word) is the euphemistic term I’d use to describe their quote unquote beauty. That’s why I get so excited whenever I see “real” Asian beauties grace the runways.
This year we had several noteworthy examples.Liu Wen, the first Asian to walk the famed Victoria’s Secret Runway is both tall (5’10”) and stunning.
photo by Jeffrey R. Staab
photo from imaxtree
photo: Tank
And who can forget Daul Kim,(photographed above) Karl Lagerfield’s muse and featured model in his Chanel videos.
Project Runway’s alum, Daniel Vosovic’s presentation during NY fashion week fall 2010 surprisingly showcased ONLY Asian models. With the exception of his runway show though, Asian models were scarce (not surprising).
At every fashion week that I attend, I always play a solitary, secret game of “Where’s Waldo” except instead of Waldo, I’m looking for the elusive Asian model. Though challenging, this game is usually short on fun ‘cuz usually after finding 1 girl, it is game over. Here are some of the girls I spotted throughout the week.
me with Hyoni (winner of Ford's Supermodel of the year)
photo from style.com
photo from style.com
photo from Susan S. Choi
photo from Susan S. Choi
photo from Susan S. Choi
photo from style.com
photo from style.com
photo from Susan S. Choi
photo from Susan S. Choi
photo from style.com
photo from style.com
Apparently other people were playing this game and spotted other Asian faces on the NY runways too. Here’s a quantitative summary showing total number of shows each of the top Asian models walked this past Feb 2010:
- Bibi S: 1
- Bonnie Chen: 7
- Carolyn Gao: 4
- Charlene Almarvez: 11 [open: 1]
- Daisuke Ueda: 1
- Danni Li: 9
- Daniel Liu: 1
- Dinara Chetyrova: 6
- Emma Pei: 8
- Eugenia Mandzhieva: 9 [opened: 1, closed: 1]
- Gwen Lu: 1
- Hyoni Kang: 11 [opened: 1, closed: 1]
- Irene Kim: 1
- Jasmine Yan: 6
- Jenny Shimizu: 1 [closed: 1]
- Kiki Kang: 2
- Lakshmi Menon: 6
- Lela: 6
- Liu Wen: 22
- Liu Dan: 3
- Noma Han: 2
- Paula Kawanishi: 1
- Philip Huang: 5
- Ping Hue Cheung: 5
- Selina Khan: 5
- Shi-Han Hsiao: 3
- Shu Pei: 23
- Tao Okamoto: 23 [closed: 1]
- Wang Xiao: 1
Who’s your favorite and why?
Nice template , what is the name of tamplate you used in your blog
It’s called revolution church 2.0 with a customized background and header. I hope that helps! Thanks for visiting.
I want to start my first website, what cms do you use and recommend for me ?
Hi there, I’m using the revolution church 2.0 template on wordpress with a customized background that I bought off of houseof3.com. I don’t know much about cms but there is this website that explains it all pretty thoroughly. Maybe it will help you out. http://www.icms.info/
Thanks for the comment and come back and visit again!
i have seen your blog its good. i m also working on it its really helpfull 4 me keep updates.
I’m doing a series of NY fashion week goody bag giveaways starting now so come back and visit fabgabblog.com!
Good story over again. I am looking forward for your next post=)
I don’t see how being short makes her a worse model or less beautiful. Despite being short, she looks more elongated to me than most of the girls you posted (and therefor, more gracile). She has long legs and is very lean.
I would never think Aoki represents Asian beauty better than other Asian models, because she is only partly Asian. (Japanese Father and English mother). I think this admixture is what makes her so unique, a combination of traits that you usually dont’t see put together (ferkles + Japanese eyes + a funny nose no matter for which etnicity + very beautyful lips). I am not Asian myself, but I like her!
I appreciate your comment. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess!