China’s newly enriched consumers are becoming intrigued by high-fashion and with this interest comes a thriving modeling industry. Many beautiful young women—Chinese and foreign alike—are turning up at auditions, seeking to make a name for themselves.

But as the industry matures, it’s becoming more competitive, and as in any country, it has a seedy underbelly. Events in recent years like an infamous sex scandal in Hainan and a murder in Shanghai have underscored just how difficult it can be to establish a safe and legitimate modeling career.

In today’s podcast, we’re joined by two young models who’ve managed to dodge the shysters and get their faces out in the world. Lin Qiaorong is Fujian native who got into modeling three years ago as a way to break into the fashion industry. Doris came to Beijing from the Netherlands to study Chinese, but somehow found herself walking down runways and getting her face on magazine covers. They share with us the ups and downs of modeling in the Middle Kingdom.

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Links:

eChinacities – Sanya Sex Party and “Socialite Girls”: Bad for China’s Modeling Industry
The Model Alliance – What the Industry Should Learn from Model Diana O’Brien’s Murder
Doris’ Homepage
Qiaorong’s Homepage