Cover for Vogue China September 2011

“Are Chinese models putting an end to Asia’s colonial mentality?” asks Forbes. This question was prompted by the cover for the current issue of Chinese Vogue, and he appearance of models FeiFei Sun, Ming Xi, Shu Pei, Xiao Wen Ju, and Estee Lauder’s first-ever Asian model Liu Wen. The significance of Chinese models in China may seem a little difficult to understand. But China and Japan have typically preferred to use Western models.

Photo from Lane Crawford's fall campaign

But, it goes beyond that. As Forbes notes, “Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani are only a handful of designers who have featured Chinese mannequins in their ad campaigns in efforts to court the second largest luxury consumers in the world.”

The timing of Chinese Vogue couldn’t be better. Japanese Vogue is causing a stir with its photo shoot with plus size model Crystal Renn. No, it’s not Renn’s shape that’s the issue. It’s the styling. Japanese Vogue decided to tape Crystal’s eyes back, to make them more Asian. And, just maybe, to get some cheap publicity. It’s in bad taste, and anyone in any way connected to the modern world would get this. Japanese Vogue editor Anna Dello Russo knows better, but the magazine has even put out a behind the scenes video, flaunting the tape — you can’t miss it.