Lina Zhang

[bluebanter]

Balenciaga F/W 19 Paris (O)

vogue.com

 

[Valentine27]

Huge!

Balenciaga F/W 19.20 Paris (O)



Givenchy F/W 19.20 Paris


vogue

 

[lanvinray]

Stella McCartney F/W 2019 Paris (O)



vogue

 

[subway 123]

On fire!

Altuzarra F/W 19.20 Paris





Hermes F/W 19.20 Paris






vogue

 

[tjasmine]

Lina Zhang
F/W 2019 Showlist
Total: 9
Opened/Closed: 2/0

New York
Boss
Gabriela Hearst
Helmut Lang
Oscar de la Renta
Proenza Schouler (semi-exclusive)

London
skipped

Milan
Bottega Veneta
Jil Sander
Max Mara
Missoni
Roberto Cavalli
Salvatore Ferragamo

Paris
Altuzarra
Balenciaga (O)
Courrèges
Givenchy
Haider Ackermann
Hermès
Maison Margiela
Stella McCartney (O)

Wonderful comeback for Lina!

 

[Yendor]

She was always a top-tier looking model, this is all well deserved

 

[Benn98]

Meet Lina Zhang, China’s Breakout Model and a Mother of Two

After eight years in the business, she's now an international figure, having opened the Balenciaga and Stella McCartney shows.

By Tianwei Zhang on March 12, 2019

Model Lina Zhang

REX/Shutterstock

LONDON — In recent years, the fashion world has seen a more diverse cast on the runway, with age, race and body type no longer fitting a singular narrative. Take Lina Zhang, who was born in a little village in Heilongjiang, the northernmost province of China, and who has found international success after eight years in the business.



Zhang was all over the Paris runways this season, opening the Balenciaga and Stella McCartney shows and walking in Givenchy, Hermès, Maison Margiela, Courrèges, Haider Ackermann and Altuzarra. She is currently the face of Balenciaga.

Her distinctive appeal — with big, almond-shaped eyes, plump lips and a sculptural jawline — has made her a hit ever since she debuted in 2011. She walked 37 shows during that fall/winter 2012 season, and 56 in spring/summer 2013, including Louis Vuitton, Celine and Hermès. Then she disappeared from the international scene.

“I took a break from 2012 to 2014 because of my excessive weight loss [from stress]. Then I chose to build a family with my loved one and had two boys,” Zhang says. She may have been quiet in the West during this period, but her presence remained strong in China. She appeared constantly in the Chinese editions of T Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, Madame Figaro, i-D and Wallpaper.

“I don’t think I would call it a comeback, as I don’t see myself as a top model. In the past, I was a temporary model who only worked for three seasons. I didn’t even shoot for top magazines or campaigns. Sometimes, I think no one would ever know that I was a model six years ago,” Zhang says.

It was Balenciaga that changed her trajectory. “I was taking care of my family until last year when the casting team at Balenciaga was auditioning models. Fortunately, I got selected for the spring/summer 2019 show. It was at that time I made my decision to be back on the stage that I love,” she says.

Soon after that, Zhang was featured in the Balenciaga spring/summer 2019 campaign and selected as the opening model for the brand’s fall/winter 2019 show. “I didn’t know I was the first look until the fitting. Also, opening for Stella McCartney was an unbelievable experience. There were so many supermodels in that show. I am truly grateful for Demna [Gvasalia] and Stella for the amazing opportunities.”

The model said that her family has had no adverse impact on her career. “On the contrary, I’ve become a different and a better ‘me’ as I returned. I’m grateful for my husband and my two kids for enabling me to find the better ‘me’ and to be myself. They certainly support me for doing what I love. As a result, my life and work don’t contradict,” she adds.

Most of her posts on Instagram are about her family, or documenting her joy as a mother and a wife. Some show her two boys playing on the beach, walking in the park, or celebrating birthdays in restaurants.

To those who have known her for a while, Zhang’s aura changed after becoming a mother. Jumbo Tsui, a fashion photographer and designer who has worked with her on several occasions, says: “I find softness and peace in her eyes nowadays. When I look into them, I feel deeply touched.”

Fashion consultant and influencer Leaf Greener, who takes credit for discovering Zhang, says: “I find Lina more polished and mature after being a mother. She used to have really long hair, but her short hair suits her more. Another major factor that contributes to Lina’s success this season is that Western fashion designers’ perception of Asian models is shifting. They have begun to embrace more womanly and eccentric-looking faces.”

In an interview with WWD in 2012, Zhang said she has always “felt really comfortable with who I am, but that comfort was never really based on my looks.” Eight years on, she has a similar attitude. “Coming back this season, I feel the industry is getting more and more diverse as the time changes. No one ever called me an ‘old model.’ Whoever I am, I did a great job. That’s the point.”

WWD.com

 

[tjasmine]

Wonderful article, thanks for sharing Benn.

 

[Valentine27]

Interesting article, especially for those who didn't know about her before. I'm loving this comeback from 2010s runway walkers (Lina Zhang, Sara Blomqvist, Lara Mullen, Juliane Grüner...). I would say it's almost more fascinating to see them now, once they've matured. It's like you're discovering someone new, but not completely. I was following her career back in 2012 and had wondered about her sudden disappearance. Her look was much softer before though. I flipped through previous pages of her thread and she has changed a lot. I'm not sure if it's due to her features being sharper than before (jaws in particular), or due to the short haircut. But I had a hard time recognizing her. As much as I'm not entirely sold on her new look, I can understand why she was approached by Balenciaga. She fits their aesthetic. I wish her a great and new success!

 

[Benn98]

Vogue Netherlands June 2019

City Beach

Photographer: Jen Carey
Stylist: Hannah van Well
Hair & Makeup: Suzanne Verberk
Cast: Lina Zhang

Shot on location in Spain



Vogue Netherlands Digital Edition

 

[subway 123]

Bottega Veneta Resort 2020






vogue

 

[subway 123]

Givenchy Resort 2020






vogue

 

[subway 123]

Givenchy S/S 2020 Menswear





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[simon]

I love seeing her on the runways.

Looking forward to her campaign season.

 

[tjasmine]

She also is in the Pre-Fall 2019 Lookbook for The Row, and CO.

 

[Armani]

DSquared2 SS20

 

[subway 123]

Acne Studios S/S 2020 Paris






vogue

 

[subway 123]

Schiaparelli Haute Couture F/W 19.20 Paris






vogue

 

[Valentine27]

Givenchy Haute Couture F/W 19.20 Paris


vogue

 

[subway 123]

Lina after Givenchy.






models