Sui He — At Present

“Today I am a model, because I honestly don’t know if I will still be needed in the industry tomorrow.” For the past 10 years, that has been the bittersweet meaning behind Sui He’s Instagram bio. Behind all the fancy clothes, celebrity parties and traveling around the world, comes the not-so-glamorous fear a model faces daily: being replaced. But where most people shy away, Sui He charges forward.

Joining a modeling competition at 17 just to earn extra credit for college, Sui He thought nothing of it. In fact, she even told her father that she would only sign with a modeling agency if she won the entire competition. Two months later, she came out on top and her career took flight. Or so we thought. In reality, Sui He was barely making enough income for necessities during her first three years as a model. Winning the competition became “nothing more than a title.” Yet, Sui He persevered. Audition after audition, rejection after rejection, her efforts were recognized as she went on to be the first Asian model in several of the most well — known runway shows of the decade. Now, Sui He has become a global icon, paving the way for aspiring models.