With hundreds of models hitting the runways, it can be hard for a fresh face to get attention—but newcomer Kailey Hsu has made standing out from the crowd look entirely effortless. Since debuting on Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy runway, Hsu has appeared in all the right places: walking alongside supermodels like Karlie Kloss at Diane von Furstenberg, donning red carpet gowns at Marchesa, and resurfacing in London to walk for Topshop Unique. For the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, native, the past two weeks have been a blur of nonstop excitement, the highlight being her first turn on the catwalk, during Tisci’s landmark New York show. “I don’t know if I will ever experience anything like that again,” Hsu shares. “I was so nervous, I can hardly remember it—I kept having to tell myself to breathe!”
Preshow jitters aside, on the runway her presence was calm and collected, navigating the set’s perilous stairs without so much as a stumble. Discovered after walking into Next Model Management in Miami on recommendation from her uncle, a former model himself, Hsu was signed on the spot. And while good looks may run in the family, so does tenacity: When asked to name her heroes, Hsu looks to her father and his dedicated work ethic. “He came over to the United States at 18 years old and worked three jobs to put himself through medical school in Hawaii.”
Though her own career is just beginning, Hsu has found the experience enthralling so far—especially when it brings her face-to-face with some of her fashion favorites. “I’ve seen some of the top models in the world backstage at the shows,” quips Hsu. “For me that’s pretty exciting!” With her star rising steadily, Hsu may soon join their ranks, but in the meantime she’s still got time to enjoy some of her off-duty passions. “Scuba diving, Jet Skiing, wakeboarding—I grew up on the beach, so anything in the water I love.”
. She's so versatile
. Very simple, clean, elegant and seductive yet approachable
. Hope her momentum continues oversea
