Asian talent has long been a vital current in global style, but the past decade has moved that current to the center stage. The twenty-one trailblazers below illustrate how wide and varied that influence is today: from runway legends who still headline major campaigns to rising faces expanding what beauty and success look like. Enjoy this conversational tour—free of jargon and full of the human stories and recent milestones that keep each model in fashion’s spotlight.
Liu Wen
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10”
China’s first Estée Lauder global face and the first Chinese angel at Victoria’s Secret, Liu continues to dominate a decade into her career. In March 2025 she fronted Vogue China in a nautical‑inspired story and was praised for representing “the beloved national figure” she’s become.
Fei Fei Sun
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10.5″
Fei Fei broke barriers when she became the first East Asian solo cover model for Vogue Italia in 2013. Nearly twelve years on, Vogue profiled how her style evolved from strict school uniforms to an effortless mix of tees and tailoring—proof that comfort can sit beside couture.
Fernanda Ly
Nationality: Australian (Chinese descent)
Height: 5’8″
Sydney‑born with Chinese‑Vietnamese heritage, Ly’s pastel‑pink hair made her a Louis Vuitton sensation. A 2024 beauty campaign with Shu Uemura shows how she’s turned unconventional color into a signature that brands now chase.
Tao Okamoto
Nationality: Japanese
Height: 5’9.5″
Tao’s bowl‑cut look rocked the 2009 Ralph Lauren campaign, and she later leaped from runway to Hollywood in The Wolverine. Her dual career makes her one of Japan’s most versatile fashion exports.
Du Juan
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’11”
A former ballerina from Shanghai, Du became the first East Asian to grace Vogue Paris and holds the record for most Vogue China covers (18!). That blend of grace and staying power keeps her an editor favorite.
Chiharu Okunugi
Nationality: Japanese
Height: 5’10”
Chiharu’s sculptural cheekbones and cool composure have landed campaigns with Chanel, Givenchy, and Prada. Her models.com archive spans 500+ shoots, confirming steady demand for her minimal, modern aesthetic.
Ming Xi
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10”
The Shanghai‑born star balances high‑fashion bookings with an eight‑million‑strong Instagram following—proof that digital savvy is now part of a model’s toolkit. In 2024 she was celebrated as “one of China’s most influential faces.”
Sui He
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10”
When Sui walked Ralph Lauren spring 2024, she reminded audiences why she was once dubbed the brand’s good‑luck charm. She remains prized for a gentle elegance that fits both sporty Americana and Paris couture.
Soo Joo Park
Nationality: Korean
Height: 5’10”
Park went platinum‑blonde long before “bleached brows” hit TikTok. She’s the first Asian‑American L’Oréal spokesperson and a Chanel global ambassador—roles she leverages to champion diversity from backstage to the DJ booth.
Hoyeon Jung
Nationality: Korean
Height: 5’9.5″
After dominating runways, Hoyeon flipped to acting stardom with Squid Game and now appears in the 2025 Pirelli Calendar. A Screen Actors Guild win hasn’t slowed her fashion bookings; brands love the crossover appeal.
Xiao Wen Ju
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10”
Known for an infectious smile, Xiao fronted Vogue China’s August 2024 Olympic‑themed story, celebrating her love of sport and body positivity—an outlook echoed in her playful street style.
Mika Schneider
Nationality: Japanese-French
Height: 5’10”
French‑Japanese‑American heritage and trilingual ease make Mika a casting dream. Models.com flagged new milestones in March 2025, including opening shows for Hermès and Loewe, underlining her fast climb.
Sora Choi
Nationality: South Korea
Height: 5’10”
With 537 shows walked and 17 Vogue covers, South Korea’s Sora is now on models.com’s “Industry Icons” list. Her balanced walk—strong yet fluid—has become the blueprint for younger talents.
Devon Aoki
Nationality: American (Japanese, German & English heritage)
Height: 5’5″
Devon’s doll‑like looks defined late‑’90s runway fantasy, then transitioned to cult films like 2 Fast 2 Furious. Although she retired from acting in 2009, Gen‑Z stylists still pull her images for mood boards.
Kimora Lee Simmons
Nationality: American (Korean, Japanese & African American heritage)
Height: 6’0″
A Chanel runway discovery at 13, Kimora parlayed fame into the Baby Phat streetwear empire. In May 2025 she announced a reality‑TV comeback that highlights both business acumen and motherhood to five children.
Chrissy Teigen
Nationality: American (Thai & Norwegian heritage)
Height: 5’9″
Beyond swimsuit covers, Teigen is a bestselling cookbook author and candid social‑media voice. Her Cravings franchise shows how a modeling platform can pivot into food, lifestyle, and philanthropy.
Mia Kang
Nationality: British-Swiss (Korean & British heritage)
Height: 5’10”
The Hong Kong‑born model swapped crash diets for Muay Thai, later earning a Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu purple belt in 2024. Her transparency around body image and sport makes her a wellness role model.
Ai Tominaga
Nationality: Japanese
Height: 5’10”
Ai ruled early‑2000s catwalks for McQueen and Gucci. At Tokyo Fashion Week she was hailed “best‑dressed,” proving longevity through thoughtful styling that mixes heritage brands with local designers.
Jenny Shimizu
Nationality: Japanese-American
Height: 5’7″
The Japanese‑American pioneer broke ground in the ’90s with androgynous looks and later advocated for LGBTQ+ visibility. Now in her fifties, she tells Allure she embraces the word “handsome” as an empowering compliment.
Yumi Nu
Nationality: American (Japanese & Dutch heritage)
Height: 5’11”
In 2024, Nu appeared in Sports Illustrated for the third straight year, reinforcing size inclusivity on one of fashion’s biggest stages. Her soulful music career runs parallel to modeling, underscoring multidimensional talent.
He Cong
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 5’10”
Best known for synchronized Prada closings with sister He Zhi, He Cong brings a poetic walk and quiet confidence that editors adore. A Chanel Fall 2022 turn confirmed her status as a runway mainstay.
The bigger picture
Collectively, these 21 individuals illustrate the broad spectrum of what “Asian model” can mean today: Chinese superstars, Korean multi‑hyphenates, Japanese legends, Southeast‑Asian game‑changers, and Asian‑Americans who grew up oceans away from ancestral homelands. Their impact is visible in every corner of the industry:
- Runway casting – Major houses now strive for at least one Asian face each season, often many more.
- Beauty contracts – From L’Oréal to Estée Lauder, spokespeople connect brands to customers across the Pacific Rim.
- Media crossover – Acting, music, cooking, entrepreneurship, and activism show that identity is an asset, not a pigeonhole.
- Body positivity – Figures like Yumi Nu and Mia Kang expand the size conversation; Jenny Shimizu and Soo Joo Park expand ideas of gender expression.
Progress is real, yet the work continues: equal pay, nuanced storylines, and representation behind the camera remain goals. For now, every cover, campaign, and award earned by these models moves the industry one step further from tokenism and closer to true inclusivity.
