New-gen popular models from China are conquering the world's runways

Yilan Hua quickly became a breakout face at a time when the Western luxury market’s reliance on China for sales was greater than ever. Photo: Instagram/Yilan Hua

There is one model who walked in more fashion shows than any other in 2023.

Yilan Hua is from China. She stands 5-foot-11 (1.8-metres tall), with a sweep of shoulder-length jet black hair, full lips and pointed nose and appeared on a staggering 89 runways last year, according to fashion search engine Tagwalk, outpacing her nearest rivals, America Gonzalez of Venezuela and Victoria Fawole of Nigeria.