Yiran Xu is an international student from China studying interior design and also a part-time model. Her love of fashion and her ambition have allowed her make money doing what she loves while she’s still in college. She gave us the inside scoop of what it takes to be a model and how to kill it on the runway.
HC Purdue: What made you want to be a model?
Yiran: “I’ve always been skinny and I’ve always been tall so I felt that if God gave me these traits, I should do something with it.”
HC Purdue: What was your first modeling gig?
Yiran: “The Purdue Fashion Show. I was interested in fashion so i joined the Purdue Fashion Association and the first meeting this girl, Sierra, saw me and said “you’re so pretty, you should be one of my models” and that was it. I became her model for her senior portfolio and we kept in touch afterwards. She’s been pursuing her dream as a fashion designer and I’m usually the first person she goes to when she needs a model. She’s really good and she has a lot of connections around Chicago so I’ve been able to model more because of her.”
HC Purdue: Was the Purdue Fashion Show scary?
“It wasn’t really scary, there were just a lot of things that happened that I didn’t expect. There are so many lights on you, so many people taking pictures of you and so many eyes on you. And people use flash for the pictures! I’m like, excuse me, you’re blinding me! Some people think the fashion show is just like walking down the street, no big deal, but you actually need to practice beforehand. When you see us walking on the runway, that’s not how we walk in real life. Your arms need to swing a certain way, you need to carry your body a certain way, and you need to walk to the music and measure how far you are from the person in front of you. You think a lot while you’re on the runway. And while I’m doing this, the flash cameras are going off, disturbing my thought process. I’m just like ‘oh no, am I walking to the correct rhythm? Where am I? How far is the person in front of me?'”
HC Purdue: How do you get into the modeling “zone”?
Yiran: “When I’m doing a photoshoot I never want to go first. But I just need to be in front of the camera for a while, maybe 10 minutes, and then I can’t feel the camera anymore. It’s just me and I feel natural.”
HC Purdue: What’s the best part about modeling?
Yiran: “The money, the free jewelry and the interesting people you meet. There’s chances to meet celebrities. I almost went to New York Fashion Week and there are so many celebrities there. I also like it because you get to experience a different type of life.”
HC Purdue: What is the worst part about modeling?
Yiran: “It’s actually really tiring. It’s different than what most people would think. Most people think that you’re making easy money: you just sit there and people take pictures of you but that’s not all it is. For example, during a photoshoot you need to be ready all the time just in case the photographer needs you right away. The photographer will be photographing other people but. The last time i did a photoshoot I was standing in my 7-inch heels for like five hours. Also, people in the industry are always telling you not to eat a lot and it really crushes your self-esteem. I know a girl whose been modeling since she was 16 years old and she told me you just need to ignore what everyone says. Professionals are always telling us ‘you’re not good enough, you’re not skinny enough, you need to lose weight, you need to make your back more straight, you don’t walk very well or you’re not tall enough. We hear these horrible things about our bodies all day and by the end of the day you just think: I’m a horrible human being with a horrible body.”
HC Purdue: How do you get through that?
Yiran: “Making several modeling friends has helped because we understand each other and what we’re going through to be in this industry. They help me get through it. You just also need to keep reminding yourself that you can only do so much to your outward appearance. I can try to eat healthy but I can’t just eat a certain way to meet other people’s requirement’s. That’s not what I want to do. I don’t want to be unhealthy. I have to keep reminding myself why I chose to do this.”
HC Purdue: Do you eat a certain way when you’re preparing for a gig?
Yiran: “Designers usually need to measure you first before completing a garment, which usually takes a couple of months, so I remember those measurements and try to be the same size once it’s competed and it’s time to model.”
HC Purdue: Will you continue modeling in the future or will you retire?
Yiran: “Honestly, I think I’ll keep doing it but as a hobby, when I need extra money. I’m keeping my body nice and I want to keep building my model portfolio.”
HC Purdue: What would you say to someone who wants to pursue modeling?
Yiran: “Be prepared. Don’t just think everything is unicorns and rainbows. It’s not that easy, don’t picture it as an easy job. You get paid for how much work you put in. If you want to be an editorial model, the one’s who walk on the runway that’s a lot of pressure. All eyes are on you and if you fall, God bless you. That would be everywhere. My two biggest modeling fears are falling and sneezing. Also, if you want to be a commercial magazine, don’t think you’ll be on the magazines the first year. Everyone has to start from somewhere and you’ll receive a lot of rejections. Everyone goes through it.”