11 Asian Female Models To Follow On Instagram

There is a lot to be said about the power of Instagram. The digital era we live in has played a big part in highlighting all forms of beauty; brands and designers have started scouting models via social media for their campaigns, proving that an online presence is almost just as important as a fierce runway walk. Here are 9 girls to watch out for.

Sonya Danita Charles, Malaysia

Sonya Danita Charles is redefining traditional beauty standards. Diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of eight, Sonya has not let her rare skin condition stopped her from pursuing her dreams of modelling. She first walked for Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week in 2018 and has not looked back since. Besides fronting campaigns for many Malaysian designers and appearing in fashion spreads in various magazines, Sonya is also using her platform to promote self-acceptance and educate her followers on vitiligo.

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Sheena Liam, Malaysia

Sheena Liam was already a full-fledged model long before she won Cycle 2 of Asia's Next Top Model, a title that would land her on both the covers of Harper's BAZAAR Singapore and Harper's BAZAAR Malaysia in 2013. Besides walking the runways of Diane Von Furstenberg (Autumn/Winter 2015) and Opening Ceremony (Autumn/Winter 2017), Sheena is also a talented embroidery artist, and her latest work is featured in the latest issue of V Magazine.

Kaci Beh, Singapore

Kaci Beh may only be 21 but she has already dominated the international runways, from Dolce & Gabanna (Autumn/Winter 2019) in Milan to Julien Fournie (Autumn/Winter 2019 Haute Couture) in Paris. She started modelling at the age of 17 and is currently represented by agencies in both Milan and Paris. Besides modelling, Kaci is also a massive foodie with a separate Instagram account (@kacifoodiehunter) dedicated to her numerous food adventures.

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Duan Mei Yue, Singapore

Singapore-based model Duan Mei Yue's unique features have already caught the eyes of global beauty brands such as Sephora and Fenty. At 19 she walked at Seoul Fashion Week and was photographed for i-D Japan in 2018. Duan's extraordinary look is so versatile that she's able to work the high street labels and high fashion at the same time.

Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Thailand

Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying's list of accolades includes winning the Asian Film Award for Best Newcomer and Thailand National Film Association Award for Best Actress, and made her appearances on Harper's BAZAAR UK, Numero magazine and a number of international campaigns. Chutimon also played the meaty role of Lynn in the 2017 movie Bad Genius.

Baiboon Arunpreechachai, Thailand

Represented by Wilhelmina models, Baiboon Arunpreechachai recently made headlines when she fronted a Burberry's ad campaign. She has long been touted as one of Thailand's breakout models and is often a regular on the pages of Harper's BAZAAR Thailand.

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Cinta Laura Kiehl, Indonesia

Cinta Laura Kiehl is so much more than a pretty face. The 27-year-old beauty has successfully made the jump from being a model to actress and now a musician as well. The German-Indonesian is famous in her home nation as an electro-pop singer and she is also the appointed ambassador of anti-violence against women and children by the Indonesian Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection.

Matcha Mosimann, Thailand

When she is not striking a pose in front of the camera, Matcha Mosimann is also a fitness fanatic. in fact, she often shares workout tips and routines as well as diet plans for her followers on her very successful YouTube channel Fitness Society Thailand.

Nalisa Alia Amin, Malaysia

Nalisa Alia Amin rose to fame when she started working with brands that promote body positivity message. in 2018, she starred in a Dove campaign followed by Sephora. In 2019, she became the first plus-sized model to open the show for Min Luna X Fashionvalet at KL Fashion Week. As a prolific social media darling, Nalisa is using her platform to spread body positivity. She once said that "being different is to express-not everybody is shaped in the same mould. We're here, we exist and we're embracing ourselves." Besides challenging beauty standards, Nalisa also regularly shares her journey of self-acceptance.

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Afa Annfa, Hong Kong

Besides having a successful career as a model, Afa Annfa is also an incredibly talented visual artist, painter and illustrator. She held her first solo exhibition The Silent Family in June 2015 and has since gone on to work on collaborative projects with brands such as Coca Cola, Jurlique, Dr Martens and McDonald's.

Hyunjoo Hwang, Korea

Hyunjoo Hwang made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut this year as part of the 2020 SI Swimsuit model search. Born and raised in Korea, Hwang was also working with  Victoria Secret earlier this year. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, she tells young Korean girls who want to pursue a career in to"be brave and not to let the world tell you what you can't do and that their happiness comes first."

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