The rise and return of supermodel Liu Wen: the Chinese star made history as a Victoria’s Secret Angel and American Vogue cover girl, and just returned to the runway for Prada, Givenchy and Loewe
- All eyes are back on Liu Wen, the world’s first Chinese supermodel, after her return to the fashion week catwalks for Prada, Isabel Marant and Schiaparelli, and her front row looks at Chanel
- Wen broke barriers as the first Chinese model on the Victoria’s Secret runway and the first Asian rep for Estée Lauder – no wonder she’s now a staple for brands from Miu Miu to Alexander McQueen
Chinese model Liu Wen, 35, is back on the runway, and fans and fashion insiders alike are overjoyed. Following a three-year hiatus brought about by the pandemic, Liu’s comeback show for Prada – which she referred to as a “surreal feeling” – was greeted by tens of thousands of likes and comments on social media.
Often referred to as China’s first supermodel, Wen has come a long way since she first entered the industry and has become an icon in her own right. The towering beauty carved her own path through global stardom, breaking glass ceilings and paving the way for the next generation of Chinese and Asian models.
Let’s take a look at the Yongzhou native’s inspiring journey, career highlights, style and beauty tips:
Breaking barriers
Liu Wen hails from Yongzhou, a city in China’s southern Hunan province. She told The New York Times that when she was younger her hometown had been limited when it came to fashion, as there were “no fashion stores, not even magazines”, she recalled.
Wen told the publication that at school she was considered “too tall” by her peers. However such a trait is a blessing in the modelling industry of course, so Wen, who’s now 1.79cm (the optimum height), decided to pursue modelling. When she turned 17, she entered a modelling contest because her mother wanted her to improve her posture – and the rest is history. According to Models, Wen was discovered in Beijing, then brought to Paris and New York.
