A Chinese model fell on the runway at the grand annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai last night, causing Chinese social media networks to light up.
Xi Mengyao, 28, also known as Ming Xi, could be seen slipping forwards after taking a wrong step in her high-heeled shoes before tumbling down onto her hands and knees, as shown in various video clips uploaded online. Some audience members screamed as she fell down. Just before the fall, she had been smiling and trying to pump up the crowd.
However, Xi, dressed in in a flowing gown with a large floral headpiece, still smiled though suffering the hard fall. Another fellow model not far behind, Gizele Oliveira from Brazil, walked up to help her back on her feet.The fall triggered a huge social network outburst and made the hashtag #MingXiFalls shoot on to the hot trending topics board on Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging platform with more than 170 million pageviews, while the hashtag of "Victoria's Secret Show" enjoyed 1.76 billion pageviews.
On her own microblog account, Xi apologized for letting people down: "As a model for seven years, I've fallen down on the road countless times along the way... but I know that, no matter how painful it is, I have to stand up again and finish walking... The future road is very long and I will continue to follow it... Thank you."
The post was retweeted more than 145,000 times and quickly attracted more than 249,000 comments, with many Chinese people seeking to comfort and encourage her.Ed Razek, executive producer of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and chief creative officer, later praised the model's behavior and shared his encouragement on his Instagram account: "On a night of great beauty and so many extraordinary moments, this may well be the most important. Ming fell.
Gizele stopped, helped her up, and waited for Ming to reach the end of her runway pose. Ming, there is no shame in falling. But there is great triumph in rising and finishing the journey. Gizele, your simple eloquent gesture is being seen around the world. It is said you are never taller than when you bend down to help someone in need. I am so incredibly proud of you both. You represent the best of what we all strive to be."
Xi later responded: "As many of you may already know, I fell during my 5th year at the Victoria's Secret show yesterday. It was no doubt one of the hardest moments I have ever had to go through in my career, especially since the show was taking place in my hometown, in front of my mother and before my people's eyes."
She added, "However, the support I received from everyone yesterday was incredible and I am truly grateful to everyone who was there for me...Thank you to everyone who sent and left me supportive messages. I will pick myself up from where I fell, and I will keep going in order to repay all the support you have given me!!"The Chinese model's tumble would probably be edited out for the final broadcast as the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows are usually filmed twice.
Ming Xi is one of the seven Chinese models on the catwalk last night, the others being Estelle Chen, Liu Wen, He Sui, Ju Xiao Wen, Xie Xin and One Wang. With 55 models representing 17 countries, including such big names as Lais Ribeiro, Karlie Kloss, Bella Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, Stella Maxwell, Adriana Lima and Elsa Hosk, this year's lingerie fashion show was the most diversified ever.
Victoria's Secret opened a flagship store in Shanghai last February and was hoping to attract more Chinese consumers by putting on its flagship show in the city. This annual fashion show is claimed to be the most expensive in the world, as Ed Razek once revealed to the media that 2016 event cost US$20 million.
The show features diamond and Swarovski-studded costumes, and this year also includes a collaboration with French fashion label Balmain. International singing star Harry Styles, Grammy award-winning artist Miguel, Tony Award-winning star Leslie Odom Jr., and Chinese singer Jane Zhang were invited to perform at the event.
The Chinese underwear market was worth 144.4 billion yuan (US$21.77 billion) in 2016, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
The show will air on TV in the U.S. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 on CBS and Chinese audiences will also enjoy the show on the Tencent video platform on Nov. 29.
Source: china.org by Zhang Rui