Text | Li Yilan
2009 was Liu Wen's "turning year" – she entered the 44th place in the TOP50 rankings.
Seen as the "Olympics" of the modeling world, Victoria's Secret is an important part of American pop culture.
"Know" tell you how the fashion industry fell in love with Chinese models.
November 8, 2018, local time, New York, USA, 2018 Victoria's Secret Annual Show, Liu Wen. (Oriental IC/Photo)
Yesterday, the 2018 Victoria's Secret Lingerie Show was officially broadcast.
From the September draft, the November catwalk to the December program broadcast, this year's Victoria's Secret show can be said to have completely ended, but it did not stir up any splash.
According to the latest data, the ratings of the Victoria's Secret show broadcast this year hit a record low, with a total audience of only 3.27 million, of which the ratings of viewers aged 18 to 49 fell from 1.5 in 20.17 to 0.9, far lower than last year's Shanghai Victoria's Secret show ratings.
In fact, the ratings of the annual Victoria's Secret Show have been declining since 2015. Victoria's Secret's attractiveness has declined year by year, and it can only rely on topics to support traffic.
One of the important factors that brings up traffic is the Chinese model. For example, last year's Victoria's Secret show left many "firsts" - the first time to move the show to China, the first time there were Chinese singers on stage to sing, but also the first time, there were models fell on the Victoria's Secret stage, for a time, the Victoria's Secret show frequently appeared on Weibo hot search, triggering tens of millions of netizens to discuss.
However, once upon a time, the foreign fashion circle did not love Chinese models very much.
(The following article is from Southern Weekend, November 2, 2012)
The "TOP50" list released by MDC, an authoritative website in the global modeling industry, is one of the signs that "supermodels" have become "first-line models" around the world. On the newly released list, there are five Chinese names: Liu Wen on the right (No. 5), and He Sui (No. 14), Sun Feifei (No. 15), Ju Xiaowen (No. 22) and Wang Xiao (No. 50) from top to bottom. (Oriental IC/Photo)
In September 2012, Liu Wen appeared in the 120th anniversary of the founding of vogue, the American version of "Fashion Bible".
In the photo, in the background of the unfinished apartment, she wears a date red bandeau evening gown, with her left hand crossed at the waist and a bright black leather jacket in her right hand. She is accompanied by the world's top three Western "supermodels" Joan Smos, Carly Cross and Arizona Muse. Liu Wen stood in the middle, and the simple "staircase" made of two white boxes became the highest point in the whole field.
"Maybe my skirt is a little longer." Liu Wen said with a smile.
In the fashion industry, becoming a blockbuster model for the American version of VOGUE means "truly being recognized by the mainstream market in the United States.".
Another "indicator" of Liu Wen's entry into the "mainstream fashion circle" in Europe and the United States is her ranking in the "TOP50" (top 50 female models) released by MDC (Models.com), an authoritative website in the global modeling industry. As of October 26, 2012, Liu Wen ranked No. 5, the highest ranking of Asian models to date. Also in the ranking are He Sui (14th), Sun Feifei (15th), Ju Xiaowen (22nd), and Wang Xiao (50th). Previously on the list were Du Juan, Qin Shupei and Xi Mengyao, whose rankings were highest at 16, 29 and 42. Chinese familiar "supermodels" Xie Donna, Lu Yan and others have not entered the "TOP50".
"They're the most wanted darlings in the fashion industry right now." The MDC website introduces "TOP50" in this way, and entering this ranking is a sign of the "first-line" models in the global modeling circle. Criteria for consideration include: model catwalk rate in the current season, heavyweight fashion media exposure, cooperation with Steven Messer, Inez-Venud group, Mert-Marcos group and other top photographers, for Balenciaga (PRADA), Louis Vuitton and other international top names such as catwalk, shooting advertising and other comprehensive strength, of which the commercial value of the model is the most important consideration.
In the fashion circle, China's "fashion groups" - designers, photographers, stylists, it has been difficult to have a place in the mainstream fashion circles in Europe and the United States, only models, is an "individual phenomenon".
Fashion circles often like to package a new model as a "Cinderella" born from an "alien planet" with an unknown place name. But "Cinderella" will definitely not fall from the sky, Liu Wen stands at the "highest point" in the "VOGUE" blockbuster "white box", is a fashion magazine, fashion editors, model agencies, photographers, runway directors, big-name designers and other joint support behind-the-scenes team, "this is a community of interests."
Wang Xiao at London Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion Week. (Oriental IC/Photo)
<h1>Do you have models in China too? </h1>
In March 2012, Liu Wen returned to her hometown of Yongzhou, Hunan. The New York Times Fashion Magazine filmed a set of fashion blockbusters for her there, appearing in colleges, temples with strong Chinese elements, hotel lobbyes printed with gilded dragons, and walls printed with the Chinese word "Fu".
In the cover photo, Liu Wen appears in Changsha Orange Island Park wearing a Celine jujube red jacket and black trousers that resemble a modified Zhongshan suit, with a huge statue of Mao Zedong as a background, staring at her behind her. The magazine named the blockbuster "Liu Wen Express". Young China stands side by side with the China of Liu Wen's time.
Liu Wen is not the first Chinese model to break into Europe and the United States. Early models "went global" through international model contests. In 1992, Chen Juanhong won the top eight of the 12th World Model Competition in Los Angeles, USA, and won the title of "World Supermodel", becoming the first person to "go out".
"At that time, most people in the world did not know that there would be models in China, and they felt very fresh." Zhang Jian, artistic director of Beijing Concept Power Film and Television Culture Company, said. Zhang Jian is the founder of China's professional modeling business, was once the legal representative and artistic director of the New Silk Road Model Company, and the models he brought out by him, in addition to Chen Juanhong, there are also Hu Bing, Hu Dong, Xie Donna and others.
Will there be restrictions on modeling in China? Will parents agree? Will the boyfriend agree? Zhang Jian took Chen Juanhong to an interview in Los Angeles, and the foreign media were full of curiosity about them.
At that time, Chinese models went out to perform with official visas, could not stay abroad for a long time, and could not speak English, and communication was difficult. Zhang recalled that no one informed them at the press conference, and the dinner also distinguished their position from other models. After the game, Chen Juanhong returned to China and did not develop abroad.
In 1992, Chen Juanhong passed the 12th World Model Competition and became the first person in China to "go global". (Oriental IC/Photo)
Three years later, Donna Xie won the title of "Supermodel" in the "World Super Elite Model Competition". During Xie Donna's time, she was already able to apply for a private visa, and "she could jump out of the word." Zhang Jian took Xie Donna to New York and signed a contract with Elite Model Agency, which was "the first time that a Chinese model flew solo", that is, there was no Chinese agent to follow. Donna Xie worked in the United States as an international model for a year.
Since then, more and more Chinese models have gone out through the "international model business" - Chinese brokerage companies have contacted international model intermediaries and "exported" models to work abroad by signing contracts with international agencies.
In the cuckoo era, Chinese models began to truly enter the era of "media marketing". She is behind the overseas team behind vogue Chinese.
In September 2005, vogue Chinese edition was launched, and Cuckoo was named "New Generation" model on the cover of the inaugural issue, and the model who appeared on the cover with her was the world's hottest top model at that time, Jima Ward from Australia.
The cover was shot by a strong international team, photographed by French photographer Patrick de Marchier, the favourite photographer of Princess Diana of the United Kingdom, the chief photographer of the fashion group Condé Nast, and the editor-in-chief of the French vogue Carin Lofeld himself as the stylist. Lofeld was so fond of cuckoos that she immediately said, "I'm sure she [Cuckoo] will become popular soon." ”
Lofeld is one of the most powerful figures in the European fashion circle, and she is also a fashion consultant for many international first-line brands, "which means that which girl she likes, she will directly introduce this girl to the past, which is a closely related thing." "GQ" Chinese version of the fashion director Cui Dan said.
Cuckoo's agent and public relations agent Cai Weizhi is also an important behind-the-scenes driver. It was under the "lead" of Cai Weizhi that Cuckoo was noticed by the Chinese version of VOGUE, and then was favored and reused by Lofeld. Cai Weizhi was the managing director of the world-renowned advertising company Macon Bright Inc. in China, and his clients were mostly large international companies such as L'Oréal, Maybelline, and Coca-Cola, and later he left McCann Bright to set up an advertising communication company, cooperating with first-line international brands such as George Armani to expand the Chinese market, and has strong resources in the fashion circle.
Just a month later, in the October issue of vogue France, Lofeld put Cuckoo and Ward on the cover of the current issue, and Cuckoo became the first Asian model to appear on vogue's French version. Since then, Cuckoo has become a regular guest of the Chinese version and the French version of VOGUE.
Since then, Cuckoo has signed a contract with the internationally renowned model agency IMG, obtained the 2006 global endorsement of Louis Vuitton, and entered the international first-line "supermodel" echelon. Throughout 2006, she was called the "Cuckoo Era" by the fashion circle, and she once ranked 16th in MDC, once becoming China's "international face" and "fashion symbol".
Liu Wen had obviously gone further than Cuckoo.
The total annual consumption of China's luxury market has accounted for 28% of the global share, and "Chinese models are the passport of the Chinese market". The picture shows Liu Wen in Paris 20
<h1>"My God! Who's that? ”</h1>
The Frenchman, Joseph Carr, is the international creative director of Metropolis magazine and a well-known figure in the European fashion industry. In 2006, Karl was the artistic director of the French version of "Jia Ren", and he was sent to China as an art consultant for the Chinese version of "Jia Ren".
"At that time, most of the fashion magazines in China were the same, and the stars wore gorgeous evening dresses, big reds and purples, and fancy backgrounds, as if they were always in the New Year." Carr said he intends to find a new face for the mainstream of "fashion"— corporate white-collar workers.
Karl looked around at the new models who came to audition, not satisfied, they all posed in clichés, "I let them put their hands in their pockets, they just stupidly do it, can't convey any fashion mood." 」 ”
The discovery of Liu Wen was an accident. Cui Dan, a newcomer who has just entered the fashion circle, as the fashion editor of "Jia Ren", found a group of new models to try on. Liu Wen wore a white vest and jeans and was in the middle of a group of tall and beautiful female models.
"My God! Who's that? She's a superstar!" Karl spotted her in the crowd at a glance.
"No, no, no, that's just a newcomer!" Tridan told Carl. At that time, Liu Wen was a new model who was somewhat "downcast": "North Drift", the new Silk Road model contest failed to select the model, and there was no choice to walk the catwalk at various clothing festivals.
"She'll shine under the lens." Carl intuitively felt that Liu Wen would definitely be red. "Some of the models are beautiful, but there's nothing but pretty. Liu Wen is different. Although she is a yellow-skinned girl, she is not so typical of the oriental face, she has a broader beauty. ”
Liu Wen was born in 1988. In the year of her birth, most Chinese were unfamiliar with brands like LV, Dior, and Chanel; today, China is already a big consumer of luxury goods. In 2011 alone, the total annual consumption of China's luxury goods market has reached 12.6 billion US dollars (excluding private jets, yachts and luxury cars), accounting for 28% of the global share, is the world's largest share of luxury goods consumption countries, overseas consumption of luxury goods also ranked first, in this context, "Chinese models are the passport to the Chinese market." Karl decided to make Liu Wen an "international icon".
The first step is to put Liu Wen on the cover of "Jia Ren". But first of all, we must face the doubts of China's "insiders": she is not a typical Chinese style like Cuckoo, with single eyelids, small eyes, legs that are not long enough, no chest, all negative information. But Carl sees the other side, "she's an oriental face, but less 'Chinese' and has an international flavor."
"Breaking the rules is difficult." It took Carl three months to convince the "Jia Ren" team that the key role was advertising. "At the end of 2006, China's "Jia Ren" received a great advertising promotion." Carl said, "They have to listen to me."
In September 2007, when major fashion magazines were pressing against big names, Jia Ren pushed newcomer Liu Wen on the cover with the title of "Mysterious Bomb in the Fashion Circle". She wears a small black dress, a black beret obliquely, and her makeup is pure. "Her appearance conveys a dream that in China, ordinary people can also be on the cover." Karl said.
In addition to the cover, Karl also found fashion photographer Mei Yuangui to shoot 20 black and white blockbusters for Liu Wen, in each blockbuster, Liu Wen wore armani, Prada and other different international big names, which is Carl's "design", so that the brand can see the possibility of Liu Wen's endorsement, "Once you can endorse a brand, you can endorse all brands."
In the December issue of "Jia Ren", Liu Wen's black backless evening dress, black veil, and a mysterious outfit once again became the main character of the cover, and under the support of "Jia Ren", "newcomer" Liu Wen suddenly became one of the most concerned models in China at that time.
In early 2008, Carl returned to Paris from work and had lunch with his old friend Marilyn Gauter. Gergie is the CEO of marilyn Agency, one of the world's top brokerage firms. Karl showed Gortie some pictures of Liu Wen. "I'm going to cry, she's a superstar, she's unique!" Gottier's reaction was the same as Karl's.
Under the guidance of Karl, Liu Wen became a contracted model of Marilyn Company and stepped into the international catwalk.
"You can be a model, but not every model can be a TOP50!" It's a buzzword in the fashion industry.
Karl understands that in order to enter the "TOP50", first of all, Liu Wen must leave China: "Staying in China is in danger of slowly fading, all magazines and commercials are filming and inviting, and the relationship is complicated and cannot be rejected, and slowly this model can only be limited in this market." ”
In early 2008, with the help of Karl and the "Jia Ren" team, Liu Wen finally got a European visa and came to Milan. According to the "industry rules", foreign models must sign a local model agency to work locally, otherwise it will be considered illegal work. Liu Wen signed a "D" brokerage company in Milan. In addition to Milan, Liu Wen's current agency in London is Select Model Management, and her agency in New York and Paris is Marilyn, and marilyn's agency in the United States dominates her career development.
Marilyn has a strong network of contacts, they have developed a series of special plans for Liu Wen, and strictly control the activities she participates in, business cooperation, and media exposure. There was a season of an international first-line big name advertisement, originally the first choice was Liu Wen, but because the model partnered with Liu Wen was not "big name", "Marilyn" finally did not let Liu Wen take over the film.
In the first "European trip", Liu Wen walked 27 shows in Paris and Milan, and the debut show took the fashion show of the big name Burberry. The following year, she went to the four major fashion weeks of New York, London, Milan and Paris, and walked 74 shows. "Her big show is about to start." Tridan said.
Ju Xiaowen at New York Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion Week. (Oriental IC/Photo)
<h1>Lingerie models are the highest level of models</h1>
2009 was Liu Wen's "turning year" – she entered the 44th place in the TOP50 rankings.
Each model carries a "model manual" with them, similar to a resume, in which the photo of working with the photographer is the first "face". The bigger the photographer, the higher the job opportunity.
This year, with the help of the agency, Liu Wen received the opportunity to shoot a spring/summer 2009 advertising campaign for CK, and the photographer she worked with was Steven Messer. Messer is the most influential photographer in the fashion industry and the royal photographer of prada advertising and the American and Italian versions of VOGUE.
"He had a lot of pigtails and a headscarf." On the first day of seeing Messer, Liu Wen was extremely nervous. The film was taken on the prairie not far from Los Angeles. Liu Wen and more than twenty models spent a whole day photographing on the grass of Huang Cancan. This shoot opened the curtain on Liu Wen's cooperation with Messer, as well as other big-name photographers.
At the end of 2009, Liu Wen wore a sci-fi bright blue bikini and appeared as a future warrior on the catwalk of the well-known American lingerie brand "Victoria's Secret", becoming the first oriental face and Chinese model on the "Victoria's Secret" runway, and walked the catwalk for three consecutive seasons. The catwalk propelled her to the ranks of "international top models".
Seen as the "Olympics" of the modeling world, Victoria's Secret is an important part of American pop culture. Models who are at least eighteen years old can participate in the catwalk, and have strict requirements for the height and proportion of models, "In the West, models can be top-notch, in order to be underwear models, it shows an extreme sense of beauty." Karl said.
"You go to Sanlitun to buy discs, and every season of 'Victoria's Secret' is selling well, and many ordinary people look at this." Cui Dan is talking about another layer of meaning - it jumped out of the niche fashion circle and became a member of the entertainment industry and mass culture. For example, at another international big-name Balenciaga fashion show, Liu Wen was also the only Chinese face, but the public did not judge it as a criterion.
"It was a coincidence." Liu Wen recalled.
Before each season of "Victoria's Secret" show, videos from previous seasons would circulate on the Internet, when Liu Wen was in China, and when she was fine, she also liked to watch. The agent jokingly asked her, "When can you go for a walk?" ”
Back in New York, the agency informed her that "there was a client who really wanted to see you." This client is the runway director of Victoria's Secret. But the audition time coincided with her domestic work time, and Liu Wen missed the audition. "I thought to myself, there's not much chance, so it doesn't matter." Liu Wen said.
When she got back to New York, the agency told her, "The client really wants to see you, you have to go." This time, the director team asked her to change into a bikini, put on high heels, and look at her figure. "I was twisting and turning." Ms. Liu recalled it was a "pleasant, homely conversation."
Four days later, the agency called, "Congratulations, you can go on the catwalk for Victoria's Secret!" ”
After the catwalk, back in the background, Liu Wen was surrounded by the fashion and entertainment media that flocked to her. The most asked by foreign media is: This is your debut, how does it feel? Nervous? The question for the Chinese media is much bigger: What is the difference between Chinese beauty and Western beauty?
"I'm just being myself." Liu Wen answered.
(Oriental IC/Photo)
In 2010, Liu Wen traveled to almost all the big-name shows of the international important autumn and winter fashion weeks, and at the busiest time, she rushed to catch six shows a day, started at 5:30 in the morning, and was busy until 9 o'clock in the evening.
After a round of fashion weeks, Liu Wen rose to 20th in the "TOP50". Not only did vogue Chinese edition put her on the cover many times, she also became the cover of vogue's Portuguese edition.
Walking the catwalk for international big names is a "weather vane" that marks the status of models, and sometimes even makes models famous. "Prada was once the touchstone of a model's fame, and it used to like to pick new faces." Tridan said. When Russian supermodel Sasha Bevopolova was a newcomer, Prada chose her as her first model in her 2005 season debut and made her the global spokesperson for Prada for two consecutive seasons, making her a hot "supermodel".
"The brand is actually very snobbish, this big show which model left, my show also called her." Tridan said. Liu Wen has become the most common oriental face in the big-name shows such as Givenchy, Chanel, and Dior.
In 2011, Liu Wen's ranking in the "TOP50" underwent a major change – from 20th to 6th. At the end of the year, Liu Wen signed an advertising contract for Estée Lauder for the whole year, and it was also the first time that Estée Lauder used Asian model endorsements.
That year, the Chinese market contributed 14% of the growth rate of the Asian market to Estée Lauder, and Estée Lauder set up an internal organization called "China 2020" to develop the Chinese market into a "second local market" in the future, and they needed a "Chinese face".
"We are always looking for international beauty that can express the characteristics of the times, and Liu Wen represents the contemporary definition of beauty." Estée Lauder Creative Director and Senior Vice President Erin M. Lauder said in an interview with the media. At that time, Liu Wen ranked 20th in MDC, Cuckoo's ranking slipped to 45th, and Liu Wen became the new "fashion spokesperson" of China.
"It's about the model." Tridan said. Generally speaking, international big names will ask celebrities to be spokespersons, models even if they receive a lot of advertising is only a few tens of thousands of yuan, many people want to post upside down, "for the leading cosmetics endorsement, the meaning is completely different." With this paper "about", Liu Wen suddenly became "TOP6".
The numbers were quickly refreshed. At the end of Spring/Summer 2012 Fashion Week, Liu Wen's ranking rose to fifth place. She was once again endorsed by Estée Lauder for advertising in 2012, and became one of the main characters of VOGUE's American fashion blockbuster, and appeared in the US edition of men's fashion magazine GQ.
"VOGUE" means that she is "truly recognized by the mainstream MARKET in the United States", and the AMERICAN version of "GQ" has another meaning. "Shooting male magazines is particularly different, and even high-end fashion magazines are also in the field of fashion. GQ is a popular read, and it's for men, and once you're included in it, her identity goes beyond modeling. Tridan said.
In addition to online promotion, offline "street photography" can not be lacking. "Street photography" is the "prescribed" action of most European and American models. The famous model Kate Mousse was imitated by the public because of a large number of "street shots", from dressing up to walking, and became a "popular idol".
At first, Liu Wen did not like street photography, a neutral dress, a pair of canvas shoes went out. Cui Dan bought Liu Wen antique clothes from Europe, matched her, and let her start from "imitating big brands": carrying shopping bags after shopping in supermarkets; chatting and whispering with friends when shopping; casual, funny and happy photos in the backstage of the show, all of which are "street shooting" content. "Street Photography" brought Liu Wen a large number of fans, and fans called her "Mosquito".
Now, Liu Wen and her friends have rented an apartment in New York, one step closer to the European and American fashion circles. Her job routine is to shoot commercials, make blockbusters, catwalks, and give interviews. In her view, "the model is a combination of industry and commerce, with industry and commerce, there will naturally be a space for models to show." ”