{"id":25589,"date":"2025-05-11T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/?p=25589"},"modified":"2025-05-13T00:23:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T16:23:42","slug":"hong-kongs-first-south-asian-plus-size-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/2025\/05\/hong-kongs-first-south-asian-plus-size-model\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong’s First South Asian Plus-size Model"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sakshi Vasudev speaks on breaking away from conventions as a model in the city through healthy physical and mental outlooks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Swara Sanket Kamble<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many models are encouraged to go on restrictive diets to achieve the fashion industry\u2019s \u201cideal\u201d thin body, Sakshi Vasudev, the first South Asian plus-size model in Hong Kong takes control of her health through a balanced diet and exercise routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is so much more in life than the way you look. You don\u2019t have to change your ways in order to fit a certain standard of beauty. You can be the way you are and still be beautiful,\u201d Vasudev says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt depends on myself if I want to have a good diet. I told myself if I want to pursue this [modelling] seriously, I need to keep myself in check. I have started going to the gym, taking care of my skin, and stopped eating junk food. I mean, from time to time I eat junk food, but it\u2019s not like I\u2019m stuffing my face,\u201d the 23-year-old model says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev usually has her mother\u2019s home cooked meals such as curry, vegetables, and rice. Her favorite food is stir fry Chinese vegetables, like choy sum, with rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She points out the fashion industry plays an important role in creating beauty standards for models which are difficult to attain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cObviously this sets an unrealistic expectation that girls wanting to become a model need to starve themselves, eat salads, or even extreme to the point of throwing up after meals so it doesn\u2019t affect their bodies,\u201d Vasudev says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe type of [modelling] agencies that put models through diet restrictions and ask their models to puke after every meal are looked down upon,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev highlights that the body structure of different nationalities is an important factor affecting body shape. \u201cIn East Asia, women are more slim and have a small bone structure. Whereas if you go to the West or South Asia, you\u2019d know the body structure is quite big. And sometimes it has nothing to do with diet,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weighing 73 kg and 171 cm tall, Vasudev works out three to four times a week, mostly focusing on training with weights and targeting different muscle groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow the media has played a pivotal role in showing what models should look like, but you can also see some representation of different body types. And I hope it continues where we see different body types in the fashion industry,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Vasudev as a runway model for the Redress Design Awards in September 2024 (Photo courtesy of Sakshi Vasudev)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev joined \u2018Self Management Hong Kong\u2019 last year, a modelling agency, which hires diverse models and represents them globally. She is the first plus-size model who joined the agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was previously signed to ChubbyChubby \u2013 Asia\u2019s first plus-size modelling agency \u2013 from 2022 to 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI reached out to ChubbyChubby after seeing their TVB interview. Being Indian and curvy puts me on a unique edge so they were eager to sign me on. Their whole message was to be the first plus-size modelling agency in Asia and they want to change the norm in the industry,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev has modelled for many different brands such as makeup company Charlotte Tilbury, a luxury designer clothing brand Emma Wallace, and has walked the runway for Hong Kong based fashion brands Redress, The Hive, and Harmony HK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTraditional models are booked easily for editorial shoots for high end brands like Elle. Plus-size models are usually booked for active wear, lingerie, and upbeat, lifestyle types of photo shoots. These are usually for brands who want to showcase diversity,\u201d Vasudev says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colored plus-size models usually get jobs once every two to three months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHong Kong is not quite there yet in terms of diversity and inclusivity,\u201d the model says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Vasudev (left) for Rising Lotus (Photo courtesy of Sakshi Vasudev)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 2020, Jill Kortleve was the first plus-size model to walk for the French fashion house in over a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe the West is more open to plus-size models. Hong Kong is much slower. Since the pool of models here is quite small, brands prefer booking traditional models,\u201d Vasudev says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precious Lee is one of her favorite plus-size models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI watched an interview posted on YouTube in which Lee talked about how she started walking for Versace. She told her agent that she wanted to model for Versace and they laughed at her. A few years later, she walked for Versace and became Donatella\u2019s favorite,\u201d Vasudev recalls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This serves as inspiration for Vasudev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev shares that high-end brands such as Chanel do not care about diversity, but more about brand image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere aren\u2019t a lot of plus-size models modelling for luxury brands. I want to break that stereotype and model for Chanel one day,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev started modeling in 2019. She was 18. She especially loves walking runway shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a certain type of energy I get on the runway. The moment you put me on a runway, I get a lot of confidence. I love it because you can showcase your personality and listen to music,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev auditioned for and was selected for a winter show by Harmony HK – which is the first diverse model agency in Hong Kong and Asia, representing models from all backgrounds, races, ages, shapes, and the LGBT community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce I stepped on the runway, people cheered for me and it gave me such a confidence boost, because for my entire life I was always considered as not the prettiest one. I was seen as too fat, or I was always behind the shadows\u2026 I just wanted to try it out. I wanted to prove to people that people like me can be on the runway,\u201d the proud model recalls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Vasudev as a runway model for the Hive (Photo courtesy of Sakshi Vasudev)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Being in the public eye means that Vasudev is no stranger to criticism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI once posted a reel of me walking and in the video you could see my stomach jiggling. I got a lot of negative comments from people, mostly guys, telling me to \u2018go to the gym\u2019. It really showcases how quick people are to judge,\u201d the model says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough the comments did affect me a bit, I\u2019m here to walk and you\u2019re [netizens] here behind your fake accounts while I\u2019m getting rich,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev recalls her high school days when she was affected by the names her peers called her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI started hiding myself in cardigans, even when it was very hot outside. I never wore dresses or skirts, I was always in jeans and t-shirts,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSubconsciously, there\u2019s always a part of me that says \u2018you\u2019re fat\u2019. I grew up chubby, I didn\u2019t suddenly gain this weight. There were times that I lost weight and then gained it back. Now it doesn\u2019t matter if I am fat. I want to be the strongest version of myself physically and mentally,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev is on a mission to prove people wrong and spread the message that everyone is beautiful in their own way. \u201cIf you know yourself and your health is okay, there\u2019s no pain, and the doctor says you\u2019re good, then everything is fine,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vasudev reminds aspiring models to be persistent and urges them to keep trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to get rejected and that\u2019s ok. Don\u2019t take it personally. Keep developing yourself and your skill sets. In a world of constant nitpicking, people constantly try to throw you down. Take that as motivation to get better,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by Lunaretta Linaura<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sub-edited by Cindy Lee<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sakshi Vasudev speaks on breaking away from conventions as a model in the city through healthy physical and mental outlooks. By Swara Sanket Kamble While many models are encouraged to go on restrictive diets to achieve the fashion industry\u2019s \u201cideal\u201d thin body, Sakshi Vasudev, the first South Asian plus-size model in Hong Kong takes control […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":25591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25589"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25625,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25589\/revisions\/25625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}