At risk of being too predictable: Snejana. Her walk will forever be iconic and I love everything about her, even if she goes down… particular ways in social media. Her model legacy is irreplaceable!
Also: Magda. She was probably my first thinspiration too and her relationship with being skinny is so top!
At the risk of doing ~*the most~*, I broke down my favorite models into tiers (also a great way to pass time and forget about cravings)
Tier 1: Unconditional, All-Time Favorites
The models I placed in this tier have earned my respect and adoration regardless of their career path and post-career bodies. In other words, I simp for them.
1. Sasha Pivovarova
Her piercing gaze and versatility in print are unmatched. I also love her quirkiness and passion for art.
2. Magdalena Frackowiak
I am so envious of her bone structure and body proportions. Her presence on the runway and in print exudes so much grace and confidence, and I love how she was able to switch between a soft/demure vs. strong/demanding energies. Her personality is quite grating, but for her I’m willing to excuse it and wish her well.
3. Xiao Wen Ju
An absolutely adorable doll and fashion chameleon. I love how she can transform into different characters in everything she does.
4. Alexandra Agoston
Such a regal and aristocratic beauty. I will always find her inspirational.
5. Issa Lish
Sometimes her edgy personality is too much for me, but I love the androgynous, alienesque quality of her face and body.
Tier 2: New Favorites
These are models I started liking within the last 3-5 years, most of whom I found from SGF.
1. Sijia Kang
A ray of skinny, leggy sunshine in a world of fatties. Her body is phenomenal and she has the sweetest smile paired with a fierce gaze. The only reason she is not in Tier 1 is because she hasn’t modeled for as long as those girls.
2. Mika Schneider
Love her look, but I have to admit I am not very excited about her body of work. With her face and body, I think she would’ve had a prolific career during the Babydoll Era of the mid-2000s. I am hopeful, though I still want more for and from her.
3. Barbara Valente
She is the perfect mix of cute and sexy. I also have a crush on her.
4. Leah Chen
I love her look bc it’s relatable to me as a Southeast Asian (wide eyes, thick eyebrows, round jaw, etc.). Imo, her features stray from typical East Asian features seen in fashion (e.g. Du Juan, Liu Wen, Fei Fei Sun). Also love the very subtle hint of androgyny in her look.
5. Xie Chaoyu
I like her for the same reasons I like Xiao Wen. Her talent really shines through in print
These are models I used to like, but they have let me down in one way or another.
1. Blanca Padilla: her Instagram presence just turns me off no matter how beautiful I find her face. I do not like the beachy, health influencer ~*vibe~* she has online. 2. Marine Deleeuw: I think she got tackier with age and weight gain. I miss her skinny, angsty days. 3. Sora Choi: her weight gain made her lose her edge (pun intended). Her history of weight fluctuation makes me think she is naturally bigger and must put her body through lots of stress to stay skinny. 4. Yoon Young Bae: her lack of muscle tone paired with the extra pounds makes her look like the average overweight girl in Asia. 5. Sophie Martynova: she just hasn’t been getting as many jobs as she used to now that she moved to Tokyo. And I’ve been bored by her work since.
It’s almost impossible for me to pick a No.1 favourite. My top 4 are all very closely matched, and I love them for a variety of reasons. If I really had to pick a favourite, it would be Sasha Pivovarova because imo she has the most beautiful face, and her editorials are so emotive and striking. To me, she’s beyond magical!
However, I also absolutely adore Vlada, Anna and Olga for their bodies and runway presence, which I find Sasha can sometimes lack. They’re all beyond perfect though
