If you peruse fashion magazines from the 90s and 00s, I’m almost certain that you won’t find many Asian faces in editorials or ads. Asians and Asian Americans alike have been underrepresented for a long time.
But if you’ve been reading Vogue and other similar magazines in the last year, you will definitely see an upsurge of Asian models flooding runways and articles.
In December 2010’s US Vogue, I came across an editorial called “Asia Minor,” spotlighting Asian models who have become popular within the last year or two. This article, though only a few pages, shows a promising sign for Asian models in the future.
What’s even more amazing is that these models aren’t just limited to American or Asian fashion scenes–their faces have been in and on the covers of Vogue Italia, Vogue España, Vogue Germany, Redbook, in addition to other popular magazines. Designers such as Vera Wang, DSquared2, and Esprit have featured Asian models in their latest ads. Marc Jacobs featured 8 Asian models out of 58 in the Louis Vuitton Spring 2011 runway show.
Although I do find it refreshing that Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean models are “redefining traditional concepts of beauty” (according to the Vogue editorial), I also ask myself, “If we’re redefining traditional beauty, are we also saying Asians weren’t traditionally beautiful to start?” That notion troubles me, considering 60% of the world population is Asian. Also, the editorial brings up East Asian beauty, but what about South East Asians? Or South Asians? Or Pacific Islanders?
Ultimately, it still seems Asians are often stereotyped and exoticized in the media, but hopefully this editorial is another indicator that change is coming.
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I think the author’s prettier than any one of those models. You’re beautiful.
🙂