Interview with America’s Next Top Petite Model – Jennifer An

If you liked America’s Next Top Petite Model contestant Jennifer An, you’ll like her even more after reading her answers to my interview below.

Q:  When and why did you know you first wanted to be a model?

I’ve always wanted to model, but my ethnicity and height have always been a factor standing in the way.

Q:  What did you learn about yourself while on America’s Next Top Model?

It was fascinating to be thrown into such an alternative reality. I learned that I’m a leader and someone that can be trusted and
definitely a shoulder to lean on, even in the toughest and most competitive situations. I adapt very well to different surroundings
very well. I can take pressure.

Q:  What other reality show(s) would you do if given the opportunity?

I think one reality show in a lifetime is more than enough. Haha.

Q:  Has it hit you that you could be seen as a role model to many and how do you feel about that?

I’m not sure that I would change my lifestyle due to the fact that younger Americans are looking up to me now, but I don’t do anything my parents wouldn’t approve of, so I think parents would have less of an issue with me as they would, lets say, Lady Gaga.

Q:  How do you feel about being one of the few recognizable Asian models in the industry?

Honored and a little saddened to think that my reality show status has bumped me up to the status of being a recognizable Asian model, where I should be flooded by the other thousands of amazing Asian models.

Q:  Who is your role model?  Your style icon?  Your favorite fashion model?

There is only one woman I look up to… Tina Fey. Haha, she just seems like the perfect blend of beauty, personality and charm. My favorite fashion model is Jourdan Dunn, can’t say much for style icon, it changes everyday.

For more pictures of Jennifer An at NY Fashion Week, see my earlier blog entry.

Victoria’s Secret’s Miranda Kirr Bikini Try-On

I just had to post this cute new Victoria’s Secret video featuring the beloved Miranda Kirr trying on some new bikinis.  It’s reminding me to work out and get ready for bikini season… She’s cute isn’t she? 

I spotted her at a fashion show years before VS did and knew she was special even back then.

Who’s your favorite VS model?  I love Alessandra’s photos and think she’s the most photogenic but way too skinny in person.  So if I were given the challenging task to create THE perfect Victoria’s Secret Angel, I’d pick and put together the following:  Doutzen Krous’s face, Marisa Miller’s body, Heidi Klum’s personality and Miranda Kirr’s sweet dance moves.

Asian models from fashion week

When Devon Aoki made her big debut into the fashion world, I questioned why?  how?  and again WHY?  Sure, I was excited to finally see an Asian face in the fashion spreads but why, why in the world HER?  I had non-model FRIENDS who were far prettier and taller than Devon all around me.  Why did the fashion world choose and embrace Devon with her freckly round face, perma-frown and short stature (5’7” is nearly midget sized in the modeling world and only Kate Moss was able to get away with it still to this day).  And here Devon was suddenly gracing the covers, walking the catwalks and gaining international fame all the while inadvertently representing Asian beauty for us all.

I likened Devon to Alek Wek another quizzical ethnic newbie on the fashion front.  Both were loved for their untraditional beauty and extreme racial features.  “Exotic” (I hate that word) is the euphemistic term I’d use to describe their quote unquote beauty.  That’s why I get so excited whenever I see “real” Asian beauties grace the runways.

This year we had several noteworthy examples. Liu Wen, the first Asian to walk the famed Victoria’s Secret Runway is both tall (5’10”) and stunning.

And who can forget Daul Kim,(photographed above) Karl Lagerfield’s muse and featured model in his Chanel videos.

Project Runway’s alum, Daniel Vosovic’s presentation during NY fashion week fall 2010 surprisingly showcased ONLY Asian models.  With the exception of his runway show though, Asian models were scarce (not surprising).

At every fashion week that I attend, I always play a solitary, secret game of “Where’s Waldo” except instead of Waldo, I’m looking for the elusive Asian model.  Though challenging, this game is usually short on fun ‘cuz usually after finding 1 girl, it is game over.  Here are some of the girls I spotted throughout the week.

Apparently other people were playing this game and spotted other Asian faces on the NY runways too.  Here’s a quantitative summary showing total number of shows each of the top Asian models walked this past Feb 2010:

• Bibi S: 1
• Bonnie Chen: 7
• Carolyn Gao: 4
• Charlene Almarvez: 11 [open: 1]
• Daisuke Ueda: 1
• Danni Li: 9
• Daniel Liu: 1
• Dinara Chetyrova: 6
• Emma Pei: 8
• Eugenia Mandzhieva: 9 [opened: 1, closed: 1]
• Gwen Lu: 1
• Hyoni Kang: 11 [opened: 1, closed: 1]
• Irene Kim: 1
• Jasmine Yan: 6
• Jenny Shimizu: 1 [closed: 1]
• Kiki Kang: 2
• Lakshmi Menon: 6
• Lela: 6
• Liu Wen: 22
• Liu Dan: 3
• Noma Han: 2
• Paula Kawanishi: 1
• Philip Huang: 5
• Ping Hue Cheung: 5
• Selina Khan: 5
• Shi-Han Hsiao: 3
• Shu Pei: 23
• Tao Okamoto: 23 [closed: 1]
• Wang Xiao: 1

Who’s your favorite and why?

America’s Next Top Model – Petite Ninja Warriors

Tyra affectionately called her America’s Next Top (petite) Models  the “Petite Ninja Warriors.”  I call them simply cute.  They  made their front row appearance across from me this morning at the Kardashian Bebe show.

Here are their responses to what their favorite designers are.

Keep a watch out for my exclusive interview with  Jennifer An (on the right)!