The first Vietnamese model to walk in the Chanel show recounts the 5-second fierce selection process.

(Dan Tri) - Huynh Tu Anh is the first Vietnamese model to walk in an official Chanel show. Behind the spotlight are harsh requirements, a cold 5-second casting and an unprecedented elimination on the international modeling scene.

Huynh Tu Anh's image was posted on Chanel's official media channel (Photo: Chanelofficial).

For the first time, a Vietnamese model stepped onto the official catwalk of Chanel (November 4, in Singapore). The person who made that milestone was Huynh Tu Anh - Champion of The Face 2023.

Chanel is a guarantee in the fashion world, not only because of its prestige but also because of the standards it sets for its models. The models that have caught the eye of the brand are always highly regarded in the international market.

Model Huynh Tu Anh walks at the Chanel show in Singapore ( Video : Character provided).

First time walking at Chanel show, praised by international supermodel Liu Wen

Having just landed back in Vietnam after completing the most important show since becoming a model, Huynh Tu Anh is still filled with pride. The model happily shared her image on Chanel's official media channel.

In it, she catwalked in an A-line dress made of metallic gold suede, paired with a necklace bearing the brand's classic logo, and carried a cloth bag.

After calming down, the model shared unforgettable memories of her performance in Singapore. "People called my name: Tu Anh Vietnam is about to go out. I felt full of energy at that moment," she said.

She was the one who announced the name "Tu Anh Vietnam" to Chanel's team to make an impression, instead of just giving her first name like all the other models. The model believes that this is a way to remember the moment when a Vietnamese person first performed for Chanel - the most prestigious fashion brand.

Tu Anh's stride at the Chanel Cruise show (Photo: Character provided).

Like hundreds of previous shows, the model from Ho Chi Minh City walked with a free and sharp demeanor, but not too cold, evoking the French muse in true Chanel style. Tu Anh said: "When the performance was over and I went backstage, I stood still for a moment because everything was so beautiful."

Backstage, the Vietnamese model met privately with supermodel Liu Wen - a famous star from seductive performances for lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, later a familiar face of Hermès, Chanel, Alexander Wang, Jean Paul Gaultier...

It is worth mentioning that Liu Wen is the biggest inspiration in Tu Anh's career journey.

As soon as Tu Anh left the stage, Liu Wen took the initiative to approach and said: “You just finished performing, right? I remember you. You walked very well, very impressive.” Tu Anh replied: “Thank you very much. I am your “big fan.”

Tu Anh was praised by her idol Liu Wen and got to chat with Tilda Swinton (Photo: Character provided).

Not only Liu Wen, The Face 2023 Champion Huynh Tu Anh also had the opportunity to chat and record moments with famous faces: Young Young Bae, Alva (Victoria's Secret model), actress - model Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, actress Tilda Swinton, Louis Robert, Yilan Hua...

Chanel's "gold" standards

Backstage at the Chanel show shows the strictest and most professional working standards.

The Chanel model standards include an ideal height of 1.75-1.8m for women and about 1.8m or more for men. In addition, the model needs to have excellent catwalk skills, a face that balances classic and modern features, suitable for the brand's high-end style, along with body measurements that are favored by the fashion world.

Chanel also prefers to choose models with small measurements to create elegance, instead of models with sexy figures.

During the Chanel Cruise show in Singapore, models begin by submitting a medical certificate in English, confirming their fitness to work. The company also has a doctor on call 24/7 to handle any medical emergencies.

The show's security was tight, with security personnel stationed everywhere to protect the designs, images, and information. Models were not even allowed to see the designs until just before fitting and walking the runway.

“Chanel is like a separate "universe", where everything is prepared to the absolute level so that the models just need to focus on shining,” model Tu Anh commented.

International models walk the runway at the Chanel Cruise show (Photo: Chanel).

The Face champion shared that she had participated in a live casting for Chanel once before but was not selected. This time, she was successful after casting online.

"Honestly, I'm also curious as to why I was chosen this time. Maybe it's because my international profile has thickened, or there's some other factor from the model selection agency... After receiving my online application, the company responded very quickly and sent a confirmation email with a plane ticket to Singapore. The company did not respond in detail as to why they chose me," Tu Anh shared.

To prepare for the Chanel show in Singapore, this model applied a strict training and diet regimen. For about 7 days before the show, she only ate eggs, vegetables and chicken breast, or she could eat oatmeal, but excluded other starches, did not eat sugar, milk and fat.

Two days before the show, she reduces her water intake from 2 liters of water per day to 1 liter. On the day of the show, she will not drink water. Tu Anh also works out regularly 3-4 times per week and increases the intensity to working out all week as the show gets closer.

5 harsh seconds of the international modeling world

During the conversation, Tu Anh also recounted memorable experiences on her journey to "go global" (participate in the global market).

The female model described the international model market during fashion weeks as being like... the Olympics. Paris (France) and Milan (Italy) become gathering places for top models from all over the world. The competition is so fierce that rental prices in these big cities also increase dramatically at this time of year.

She compares the biggest difference between the international market and the Vietnamese market to speed and process. While in Vietnam, models have time to listen and discuss with designers to understand the clothes and fix defects, in foreign countries, everything happens in a flash.

"In France, I only had 5 seconds to audition. When I opened the door and entered the casting room, they only glanced at me for 5 seconds, then they would announce whether I was chosen or not as soon as I turned around and walked out. If the casting agency had not announced it on the spot, my chances would have decreased by about 70%," Tu Anh said.

Tu Anh performs at the Calcaterra fashion show in Italy (Photo: Character provided).

Sometimes, the model selection process is so long that the judges get bored and don't even look up at the girls who come after them. To overcome this, Tu Anh came up with a way to introduce herself as a way to make her own mark. When it's her turn to cast, Tu Anh calls out the names of the girls and introduces herself energetically to get attention.

However, not everywhere, the selection unit allows the model to speak. The "5-second rule" still revolves, coldly.

An international model’s schedule is a non-stop marathon. During fashion week, Tu Anh has to travel constantly, attending about 5-7 castings around Milan every day. Thanks to the pressure of work, she has mastered moving on the train or riding a bicycle in Milan to be on time.

According to The Face Champion, the selection process abroad is also much more complicated than in Vietnam. Models have to go through many strict rounds: Online casting, live casting in round 1, round 2, then fitting.

Even after being approved and fitting, elimination can still happen at any time, even after receiving an official performance schedule.

"Many models have passed the fitting process and have their show schedule confirmed, but then the designer or company has a better option or they don't find it suitable anymore... they can ask you to leave. You have to get used to that," she told the harsh truth about the profession.

Tu Anh also experienced a similar difficult story.

Tu Anh performs for fashion house Sara Wong (Photo: Character provided).

During a business trip to Milan this summer, she was noticed by a Casting Director who introduced her to a casting for the Uma Wang brand.

Here, Tu Anh was fitted with 6 outfits and received an appointment: "Okay. See you tomorrow (show day). This is your outfit. Write your name to put on the outfit."

However, the joy quickly faded. At around 8pm the same day, she still had not received an email confirming the information. And at 8pm, the Casting Director texted her: "Hi baby, I'm sorry." As soon as she read the message, Tu Anh understood the problem: She was eliminated.

The Casting Director explained that the stylist no longer found Tu Anh's look suitable so he canceled the confirmation.

Despite facing many failures, The Face Champion has not stopped trying. She has auditioned for a series of big brands such as Saint Laurent, Dior, Moschino, Versace, Armani... The sweet result she has reaped is appearing in the latest campaign of Diesel.

She added: "When I received the news, I cried because last year I also auditioned for Diesel but was not accepted. But this year when I came back, Diesel chose me immediately."

When comparing with international models, Tu Anh realized that height is not the only factor that determines success or failure. Many designers only need models to be 1.77-1.8m tall, being too tall is not an advantage. According to her, the two top priority factors are the hip frame and the face.

Portrait of Huynh Tu Anh. She is considered by international experts to have a face suitable for high-end fashion (Photo: Character provided).

"The international model market is very concerned with the hips. The hips show how light the model looks when wearing clothes. Models with slim hips will look more gentle and elegant when walking the catwalk. At the same time, the face is also an important factor. When looking for tall people, there are some who are taller, but finding someone with a "model face" is quite difficult," she said.

She cited models who are only 1.75m tall but have high fashion faces and are constantly "on show". Tu Anh is also confident that she has a special face, receiving compliments from international experts.

Regarding foreign languages, the Vietnamese model improves her communication skills through real-life working environments. She also shares a small tip: spend 15-20 minutes a day participating in English speaking challenges on social networks, reading along with the suggestions to increase vocabulary and make her mouth more flexible.

The milestone of performing for Chanel gave Tu Anh more international opportunities (Photo: Character provided).

Through these experiences, Tu Anh not only learned the cold professionalism of the international market but also required herself to train to the maximum, from physique, language to spirit to conquer the most prestigious catwalks.

She has proven her ability and is the great hope of Vietnamese models on the world fashion map. “The Chanel ticket is not the destination. It is a milestone for me to go further. But I also allow myself to be a little proud, because it is Chanel, the dream of every model,” she said.

Huynh Tu Anh (born 2002, Binh Duong), 1.78m tall, is the Champion of The Face Vietnam 2023. The female model is venturing into the international market.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/nguoi-mau-viet-dau-tien-dien-show-chanel-ke-5-giay-tuyen-lua-khoc-liet-20251107184021457.htm