chanel's asian supa model
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kblvd.com Devon Aoki is not your typical 16 year old. As the new star of Chanel's spring/summer 1999 campaign, this young hapa is on her way to become one of the most recognizable faces in the fashion world. Having already worked the runaways for the last 2 years, this spring her fresh young face will have top billing in a flurry of new advertisements launching Chanel's new line. The daughter of Benihana restraunt chain-owner Rocky Aoki, Devon was discovered by a photographer while backstage at a Rancid concert she had crashed. Soon afterwards, her star skyrocketed when she signed up with Storm Model Management, which represents covergirls Kate Moss and Eva Herzigova. At only 5'6" with a serious pout and an angular face sprinkled with freckles, industry insiders have labeled her both the "punk nymphet" as well as the '90's "It Girl" after seeing her stomp down the runway. She quickly became the darling of notable photographers like Ellen von Unwerth, Karl Lagerfeld and Mario Sorrenti, and was included in Visionaire, an avante-garde collection of photographs before anyone knew who she was. As one of the few Asian faces in the fashion industry and one of the first to land such a major ad campaign, Aoki recognizes the significance of her popularity. "I think as time moves forward, there is more room for ethnic diversity." she says. "It's important that there is a change, especially in fashion." |
