Top Asian Models: Modeling is a competition, glamour, and fashion sector that is setting fresh trends around the globe. Asian models are the changing face of fashion, from walking on the international ramps to appearing on top magazine covers, and their limits extend beyond representing the designers. As nations like China start to lead the worldwide marketplace, fashion has placed the focus on East Asian designs since the late oughts.
Modeling diversity has been a problem for a long time, and seeing distinct beauty concepts is a welcoming sight.
Most Beautiful Asian Models
It was 1956 when China Machado, Shanghai’s unknown young fashion model, became the first non-white beauty to break through the apartheid system of fashion when she started working at the House of Givenchy in Paris as a fitting model. She was famous by 1959: discovered by fashion photographer Richard Avedon in New York, who photographed her for Harper’s Bazaar’s February edition. It was the first time in a mainstream fashion magazine that an East Asian model had ever been featured.
Now, more than half a century later, renowned Asian supermodels are enjoying their best time ever, as the fashion industry is looking progressively to Asia for its financial future and the burgeoning economy that has made them energy players on the luxury goods market. Mainstream fashion has now been compelled to reflect in their advertising campaigns, especially the Chinese, the faces of these wealthy, fresh Asian clients.
Asian models have unique facial characteristics; more prominent are their cheekbones and thinner lips. However, it does not affect their sexuality level in any way. Because of their dark hair and sharp face characteristics, the Asians look more efficient on the runways. Their face type can create an appealing contrast to bright dresses and enhance their vividness in moments. We’ve gathered 10 Asian models to celebrate this new age of Asian representation, altering the face of fashion. They come from distinct nationalities and ethnic backgrounds and have different skin tones and kinds of body, but they share one common objective: improving fashion diversity.
How Did We Decide the Top Asian Female Models?
There are a lot of factors that go into compiling a list of hot Asian female models. There are questions that need to be answered. Which types of models should be considered? What types of accolades should they have received before being eligible to be included on the list? Their Instagram fan following? All of these important questions were definitely used in compiling the list below.
If you think we have left anyone out, or believe someone should not be included on our list, kindly let us know in the comments section.
20 – Layla Ong
10 – Liu Wen
9 – Ming XI
8 – Sui He
7 – Margaret Zhang
6 – Soo Joo Park
5 – Fei Fei Sun
4 – Fernanda Ly
3 – Tao Okamoto
2 – Naomi Shimada
1 – Chiharu Okunugi
↓ 20 – Layla Ong
Nationality: Singaporean
Age: 24 (September 2, 1996)
Instagram followers: 42.9k
About Her: Layla Ong first appeared on Asia’s Next Top Model, and although she did not last in the competition for a long time, she still managed to set out on the path to becoming a great model. She was representing Singapore on the show, and despite the limited time she spent there, she made a good name for the country. She started working with brands such as Claudia Li, MSGM, and Rodarte. She soon secured a position at the Milan Fashion Week, where she walked for Gucci and made her country proud.
↓ 19 – Ayu Gani
Nationality: Indonesian
Age: 29 (August 13, 1991)
Instagram followers: 224k
About Her: Ayu Gani started her modeling career by appearing on a local modeling show called “Wajah Femina.” Here she got the title of the most favorite, and soon she became a local sensation. She was featured on numerous magazine covers, such as those of Surface Magazine. To go global, she appeared in the show Asia’s Next Top Model. Ayu Gani was the winner of the 3rd season of Asia’s Next Top Model, and she was actually the first Indonesian to win the show. Today she is an international model who has appeared for campaigns of big brands such as The Body Shop.
↓ 18 – Ujjwala Raut
Nationality: Indian
Age: 42 (June 11, 1978)
Instagram followers: 130k.
About Her: Her career took off when she was only 17 years old when she won the “Femina Look of the Year” title at the national beauty pageant called “Femina Miss India.” She has walked the runway for major brands such as Hugo Boss, Victoria’s Secret, Dolce and Gabbana, and Yves Saint-Laurent. She was the supermodel of India in her prime, and she is still working in the industry, breaking age-related stereotypes with modeling.
↓ 17 – Atikah Karim
Nationality: Malaysian
Age: 25
Instagram followers: 26.9k.
About Her: Atikah Karim belongs to Sabah and is currently based in New York, where she has managed to make a name for herself as a model. When she was only 18 years old, she entered a modeling competition in her home country Malaysia. She stood in first place in the competition, and that is what started her modeling career. She has worked for big brands and appeared in meaningful campaigns such as Nike’s campaign in 2019.
↓ 16 – Yael Shelbia Cohen
Nationality: Israeli
Age: 19 (August 31, 2001)
Instagram followers: 1.3m
About Her: Yael Shelbia Cohen is an Israeli up-and-coming model. She was named as the 3rd most beautiful face in the world in 2018, and this title became “the most beautiful face in the world” by 2020. She worked as the leading model for Castro and Renuar in 2017 and 2018, respectively. In 2019 she made it big by being chosen as to be the face of Kylie Jenner’s skincare line.
↓ 15 – Salomé Das
Nationality: French-Indian-Malaysian
Age: 20 (February 5, 2001)
Instagram followers: 42.8k
About Her: Salome Das was born to a French father and Indian mother in Germany, but she was brought up in Malaysia. She is not only gorgeous but very talented and loves diving. She says she wanted to be a volcanologist when she was younger, but she ended up in the modeling world. She has been working with local brands for a while and has now moved on to international brands such as ASOS.
↓ 14 – Sunita Marshall
Nationality: Pakistani
Age: 40 (April 9, 1981)
Instagram followers: 518k
About Her: Sunita Marshall is one of the supermodels of the Pakistani modeling industry. She has been working in the industry for years and has even dabbled in the acting field by appearing in different drama serials such as Khuda Aur Muhabbat 3. However, she is most well known for her modeling career.
↓ 13 – Asmi Shrestha
Nationality: Nepalese
Age: 27 (June 30, 1993)
Instagram followers: 486k.
About Her: Asmi Shrestha is the holder of the title “Miss Nepal” in 2016. She also represented Nepal in the Miss World contest in 2016. She is not only gorgeous but really smart as well as she has studied Business Administration at the Bachelors level from Ace Institute of Management. She started her modeling career when she was merely 16 years old at the renowned local brand Classic Diamond Jewelers in 2010.
↓ 12 – Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw
Nationality: Singaporean
Age: 25 (August 3, 1995)
Instagram followers: 115k.
About Her: Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw moved to Singapore when she was just 10 years old, and she is now a permanent resident of the country. She describes herself as a ‘Singaporean at Heart”. She represented Singapore in the 3rd season of Asia’s Next Top Model in 2015, and she managed to secured third place at merely 19 years of age. She is now a top model and has been seen walking for brands like Tiffany and Co during the Singapore Fashion Week.
↓ 11 – Amna Ilyas
Nationality: Pakistani
Age: 33 (October 11, 1987)
Instagram followers: 602k.
About Her: Amna Ilyas has been working as a model since she was only 17 years old and has featured in the campaigns of the biggest Pakistani clothing brands. She has also walked the ramp for huge Pakistani designers such as Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY). She has also worked in the film industry of the country and garnered appreciation in this field as well. Also, have a look at Best Pakistani Celebrity Snapchat Accounts To Follow.
↓ 10 – Liu Wen
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 31 (January 27, 1988)
Instagram followers: 4.7 million
About Her: China’s Liu Wen model features a resume listing several industry firsts, making it one of the industry’s most popular Asian models. Besides becoming the first Asian model to appear in Estée Lauder campaigns and run as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, Wen also performed a record of 74 shows for the Autumn / Winter 2009 season in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, followed by 70 for Spring / Summer 2010, making her the second most booked catwalk model of the year. Dubbed in 2012 by The New York Times as “China’s first bona fide supermodel.”
Her career really started in spring 2007 when she graced Chinese FHM’s cover in May and appeared in both Chinese Vogue and Chinese Harper’s Bazaar in July. She continued to walk through the 2008 resort and couture seasons in the main shows. She produced her New York debut during the Spring 2009 season and was named one of the Season’s Top 10 Style.com Newcomers, a list that is constantly a’ who’s who of the scene’s hottest new models.
Recently, Wen reached the cover of the November issue of Vogue China with the editorial debut of Apple Watch. Several editorials like Harper’s Bazaar, Dazed & Confused, American, and French Vogue have also featured the in-demand model.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw_gyaFnz7v/
↓ 9 – Ming XI
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 30 years (March 8, 1989)
Instagram followers: 1.6 million
About Her: Ming Xi was raised in Shanghai and graduated from Shanghai Donghua University in 2007, studying acting and fashion design. After being nominated as one of the fifteen finalists for Elite Model Look, her modeling career started as one of the top supermodels in the world. After several Chinese TV shows, when she appeared in the feature Warrior’s Gate created by iconic French director Luc Besson, her acting career started to take off in 2016.
Ming Xi’s career has been on a steady upward trajectory after being found by Riccardo Tisci to walk solely for Givenchy in Paris in 2010. During the world’s top fashion weeks, she is now one of the busiest models, often walking the boards of designers like Chanel, Dior, Lanvin, and Diane von Furstenberg. Her versatile image has permitted her to move easily between haute couture and ready-to-wear while snapping up coveted blue-chip ad campaigns, magazine covers, and editorial features — a prime combination for becoming a top earner in the modeling ranks.
↓ 8 – Sui He
Nationality: Chinese
Age:29 years (September 23, 1989)
Instagram followers: 1.4 million
About Her: With razor-sharp cheekbones and fresh-faced beauty, Chinese model Sui He is one of a handful of East Asian models that, thanks to several high-profile editorials, campaigns, and cosmetics contracts, have risen to gain global recognition on and off the runways. Born in Wenzhou’s coastal city, just a few hours south of Shanghai, Sui He was part of her high school swimming team and class president. She joined and won a domestic modeling contest at the age of 17, which allowed her to model locally.
Sui, He is best known as the Secret and Shiseido fashion model of Victoria for her job. From 2011 to 2015, she appeared at five Secret Fashion shows by Victoria. Sui He has been a face of Shiseido since 2012. Sui He has been featured in many global fashion magazines, including Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, Glass, V, and W. Since her breakthrough in 2011, Sui He has been regularly listed on top model lists at model.com.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqepdPZlPj_/
↓ 7 – Margaret Zhang
Nationality: Chinese-Australian
Age: 26 years (May 27, 1993)
Instagram followers: 1 million
About Her: While Margaret Zhang started her fashion career as a blogger— founding Shine By Three in 2009—she has since become a photographer, stylist, author, creative director, and consultant. The young creative worked with a number of worldwide brands, including Gucci, Dior, Uniqlo, Louis Vuitton, and Lexus, throughout her rise in the fashion industry.
With almost one million supporters on Instagram and half a million distinctive visitors per month on Shine By Three, Zhang is one of the most recognizable faces of fashion week, attending high-profile shows like Balenciaga, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton on a regular basis. Margaret Zhang was awarded the Year’s Elle Digital Influencer in 2015. She was taken into Forbes ‘ 30 under 30 Asia list in 2016, as well as the 40 Under 40 of TimeOut.
↓ 6 – Soo Joo Park
Nationality: Korean-American
Age: 33 years (March 26, 1986)
Instagram followers: 565K
About Her: This 33-year-old requires hardly an introduction. Born in Seoul, last year’s South Korean model dominated the catwalks, and has appeared in every significant magazine from ELLE and W Magazine to Dazed & Confused to Vogue, the focus of the fashion spotlight on Soo Joo Park is sure. Adamant not to be a typecast as an Asian model, Park’s refreshing aesthetic–blonde bleach hair in contrast to her dark brows–has made her the subject of several blogs in the style blogs.
The model has proved to be a favorite of industry influencers with an opening slot at Just Cavalli and having captured Carine Roitfeld’s eye–and featured in her CR Book. Counting both Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld as supporters in both their shows in A / W13, Soo Joo confirmed her big-league status when Peter Lindbergh photographed her for the cover of Numéro magazine alongside Aymeline Valade, Catherine McNeil, Sasha Luss, and Daphne Groeneveld in an editorial called The Famous Five.’
↓ 5 – Fei Fei Sun
Nationality: Chinese
Age:30 years (March 20, 1989)
Instagram followers: 467K
About Her: This newcomer, with a name as memorable as Fei Fei Sun, is presently on the tip of the tongue of every main casting director. In 2008, when she represented China for the worldwide Elite Model Look contest, the 21-year-old got her start in the industry. Although she lost the following year, Fei Fei booked Chinese Elle’s cover and became a comprehensive editorial superstar in her home nation. Of course, she was handpicked by Karl Lagerfeld for his show in Chanel Paris-Shanghai. Her climb only continued during the shows in the fall of 2010, closing in London for Vivienne Westwood and walking in Milan and Paris for Jil Sander, Miu Miu, and Hermès. And having lately signed in New York with Women Management, representing Carmen Kass and Agyness Deyn modeling stalwarts, this girl gets groomed for the long run.
With a powerful working partnership with photographers like Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, Daniel Jackson, Mert Alas, and Marcus Piggot, Sun has frequently appeared in editorials for global journals like American Vogue, I Interview, and T magazine. Sun reached her first global cover for Vogue Italia in January 2013, becoming once again the first Asian model to reach the prestige and has since been featured on covers for Bazaar Malaysia and Vogue Nippon from Harper.
↓ 4 – Fernanda Ly
Nationality: Australian
Age: 23 (October 22, 1996)
Instagram followers: 467K
About Her: Fernanda Ly is the quirky-cool model born in Australia with candy-colored locks. In the year 2014, when she walked for Alice McCall, she caught the attention of the world at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia. She is on the list of seventeen Fashion Influencers of 2018 alongside Sadie Sink.
She opened her first significant show for the Paris Fashion Week at the Louis Vuitton campus in early 2015. This assisted her to increase to her present glory. And the Aussie is well ahead of her moment with just 21. Ly appeared in the American Vogue magazine in 2016 and then worked with several businesses. She worked on her Spring ad campaign for Louis Vuitton the same year. Fernanda has recently appeared on Dior’s cover and Vogue Australia, Italy, and Germany’s editorials.
There is no doubt that her modeling signature is her famous shiny pink hair. But, think it or not, her significant leverage is the charisma of Fernanda. She’s actually much more than most individuals know of her.
↓ 3 – Tao Okamoto
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 34 years (May 22, 1985)
Instagram followers: 128K
About Her: Tao began modeling in Japan as a teenager at the age of 14. She made a choice in 2006 to move to Paris and grow her career on an international level. Soon after that, Tao produced her European runway debut, breaking obstacles as one of that era’s very few prominent East Asian models. She has been walking for many top brands through her lengthy catwalk career, including Alexander Wang, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Miu Miu, Ralph Lauren, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Tao Okamoto had no difficulty setting the pace for others to follow in a sector where style is crucial, and setting yourself apart is the objective. While she undoubtedly reached heights very few models from her home country reached as International models, she also had an important effect on the style of her Western counterparts, especially in 2009 when a bowl haircut she gave took over the modeling industry by storm and motivated known designer, Phillip Lim to base his entire fall/winter cast on her hairstyle.
↓ 2 – Naomi Shimada
Nationality: Half-Japanese
Age: 31 years (July 13, 1987)
Instagram followers: 128K
About Her: Scrolling through the Instagram profile of Naomi Shimada, the screen radiates her warmth and character. Over 70,000 individuals follow the model, activist, radio DJ, filmmaker, and dance enthusiast based in London as she explores the world, speaks out against tokenism in the fashion sector, and beams her beatific smile in fabulously dynamic costumes. For a big part of her career, Naomi has the social platform to thank, and although she would never introduce herself as an influencer, she is definitely a voice for change that influences. She has been featured in British Vogue, Net-a-Porter’s Porter Magazine, and Refinery29, and will quickly be adding “published book writer” to her repertoire as she is presently writing a book exploring, fittingly, the experiences of people on the web and our social media connection. Quadrille will publish the book, with publication scheduled for August 22.
↓ 1 – Chiharu Okunugi
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 27 (May 22, 1992)
Instagram followers: 38.1K
About Her: With the October 2013 cover of Japanese Vogue, the sophisticated characteristics of Chiharu Okunugi, and a powerful catwalk presence, an impressive show-list turn has been seen this season. Okunugi, born in Tokyo, walked a remarkable 46 SS14 fashion weeks across New York, Paris, Milan, and London. Having captured model caster Ashley Brokaw’s in-demand attention and Style.com putting her in their Top 10 Newcomers list, she has been heralded as an important face since her first Thierry Mugler show. With H&M making their runway debut with the striking model and a Chanel campaign under her belt, certainly the 20-year-old –celebrated for her street style and beautiful haircut –is set to excellent stuff.
Also, have a look at Most Pretty Women in World.
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