From NYC to Shanghai, Industry Icon Xiao Wen Ju Bridges Continents

As OOOs switch off and summer takes its last laps, Models.com steps back into stride with our first story of the new season with Industry Icon Xiao Wen Ju. The bubbling muse kicks off a spirited tour in Chinatown, as she revisits her New York roots while reflecting on her journey from a Models.com discovery to a life balanced between fashion’s global stage and home in Shanghai. Once a fixture of the New York scene, Xiao Wen returned east as an only child eager to be closer to her family and raise one of her own. It hasn’t slowed her momentum, as over the past decade, she has cemented her place in modeling history with breakthrough campaigns for Prada, Marc Jacobs, Loewe, and Fendi. Her runway appearances have been equally as high-profile as she still hits milestones, such as her recent worldwide exclusive with Miu Miu this March, more than ten years after first walking for the brand. With celebrated covers for Vogue China, Vogue Italia, and i-D under her belt, Xiao Wen has firmly established herself as a global force in fashion. At home, she continues to shape the language of modern Chinese imagery through striking collaborations with Chen Man, Leslie Zhang, Jumbo Tsui, and Theo Liu. Now, with her signature warmth and an abiding love for hidden retail gems, she guides us through some of the spaces that inspire her most, captured by director Will Pippen in a portrait of an icon whose story bridges continents.

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Editor in Chief: Stephan Moskovic
Editorial Director and Interviewer: Irene Ojo-Felix
Director & Video editor: Will Pippin
Cinematographer: Anyelo Troya
First Assistant Camera: Luis Jaramillo
Composer: 22
Locations: HommeGirls, Sandy Liang, Komune, Metropolis Vintage, and Nine Orchard Hotel
Special Thanks: IMG New York, HommeGirls, Sandy Liang, Komune, Metropolis Vintage, Nine Orchard Hotel, and Christopher Michael at Egos & Icons