If there was one model who commanded the global fashion world spotlight over the past week, it was Chinese model Ming Xi. The darling of fashion label Michael Kors, she walked the runway at the label’s recent Shanghai extravaganza with Miranda Kerr and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, which highlighted her current rapid ascent toward veritable supermodel status.
Ming Xi, a favorite of a diverse range of brands such as Kenzo and Givenchy, has been turning heads in the fashion industry as she moves up the ranks of model stardom. Just one week earlier, Michael Kors sent her to the Met Gala in a custom gown, where she joined fellow top Chinese models Liu Wen in Zac Posen and Fei Fei Sun in Tory Burch.
Ming Xi in Michael Kors at the 2014 Met Gala. (Michael Kors)
After being discovered by Riccardo Tisci to walk exclusively for Givenchy in Paris in 2010, Ming Xi’s career has been on a constant upward trajectory. She is now one of the busiest models during the world’s top fashion weeks, frequently walking the runways of designers such as Chanel, Dior, Lanvin, and Diane von Furstenberg. Her versatile image has allowed her to move easily between haute couture and ready-to-wear while snapping up coveted blue-chip ad campaigns, magazine covers, and editorial features—a prime combination for becoming a top earner in the modeling ranks.
In December 2013, she participated in one of the world’s main events for minting new supermodels: the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Making her debut at the show, she followed in the steps of Liu Wen, one of the highest-paid models in the world, and Sui He, who has been in the show for the past three years. She’s currently ranked 32nd on Models.com’s top 50 list, following top Chinese models Liu Wen, Fei Fei Sun, Sui He, and Xiao Wen Ju, but is likely to climb higher thanks to her rising stardom.
A photo of Ming Xi getting ready for the Met Gala that was promoted on Michael Kors' blog. (Michael Kors)