Louis Vuitton model Fernanda Ly on street style, her signature pink hair, working with Ugg alongside Maye Musk, and K-pop’s influence on fashion – interview | South China Morning Post
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Louis Vuitton model Fernanda Ly on street style, her signature pink hair, working with Ugg alongside Maye Musk, and K-pop’s influence on fashion – interview

Pink-haired Australian model Fernanda Ly has captivated fashion brands like Louis Vuitton. Photo: @warukatta/Instagram

You can’t help but notice Fernanda Ly – the trailblazing fashion model is a savvy force to be reckoned with. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, she made her runway debut in 2015, walking for the house of Louis Vuitton.

Australian model Fernanda Ly marked her runway debut with luxury brand Louis Vuitton in 2015. Photo: @warukatta/Instagram

With the entire fashion industry mesmerised, the 26-year-old’s punk-goth style quickly became a choice subject for A-list photographers. The dynamic Asian model has been featured in publications like L’Officiel, Love, i-D, and W magazine, along with the American, Italian, British, Australian, Chinese and Japanese editions of Vogue.

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Fernanda Ly modelled for footwear brand Ugg in a campaign that saw the likes of Maye Musk and Kim Petras. Photo: @ugg/Instagram

Her latest modelling gig is with the Southern California-based global lifestyle brand Ugg (a division of Deckers Brands) for its autumn/winter campaign. Known for their shoewear, the company has successfully expanded into apparel.

“Ugg’s ‘The Perfect____’ ready-to-wear shoot was very exciting, since the styling decisions were based entirely on what I personally wear and what I ideally enjoy wearing,” she said in an exclusive interview.

“This shoot gave me the opportunity to explore more styling options that ranged further from my usual street style. I sent through a mood board of the pieces and outfits for each of the apparel offerings, then the team pulled and referenced many of my choices,” she explained. “I felt much more involved in the project aside from being just a model, as I was wearing clothing that I genuinely had a voice in choosing and styling.”

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Other models who took part in the campaign are singer/songwriter Kim Petras, choreographer and dancer Parris Goebel, and models Maye Musk (Elon Musk’s mother) and Nyadak “Duckie” Thot.
Australian model Fernanda Ly has signature pink hair and a punk-goth style. Photo: @fakemargiela/Twitter

Besides Ly’s gorgeous looks, it is her impressive signature style that really draws luxury and commercial brands in – including her striking pink hair.

“I didn’t exactly choose to make it a signature look per se,” she admitted. “I had pink hair before even becoming a model, but it’s definitely something that my agency and all the clients I’ve worked with have chosen to embrace, rather than ask me to change.”

Ugg model Fernanda Ly had pink hair even before she became a model. Photo: @warukatta/Instagram

She added: “It’s very much like how the styling for Ugg’s ‘The Perfect ____’ campaign reflects the persona of each of the models’ individuality and uniqueness. Having pink hair was another way I chose to present myself to the world.”

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One of Ly’s favourite items in the collection is the Ugg hat: “I’m most excited about their apparel expansion, because it means we’ll be able to enjoy the usual softness and coziness that Ugg is so well known for in a larger variety of ways. In particular, their apparel is not just home wear, but appropriate in all different kinds of occasions, depending on how you style the piece.”

Fernanda Ly backstage with Squid Game star Jung Ho-yeon a Louis Vuitton show. Photo: @MINOUDIARIES/Twitter

Ly has closely observed how the luxury fashion industry is evolving, too.

“As the purchasing power of their customers shifts into more Asian-dominated regions, it’s been interesting to notice the choices in brand ambassadors,” acknowledged Ly.

“Recently, many Chinese and Korean celebrities are being chosen as the faces of luxury brands. It’s very satisfying to see that the influence of East Asians in particular – as that’s where my roots are from – are being acknowledged by the rest of the world.”

Australian model Fernanda Ly says K-pop has a strong influence on Asian fashion culture. Photo: @THEBAGAMON/Twitter

Rather than being a “single forced hire for a diversity check mark”, Ly said that Asian models are becoming normalised faces everywhere. “This is as it should be, in order to recognise the largest ethnic demographics of the world.”

K-pop is also a strong influence on Asian fashion culture, Ly noted.
“The popularity of K-pop is certainly another big introduction for many into a multicultural world of embracing and enjoying differences, much like the previous J-pop and anime boom of the early 2000s, which skyrocketed interest in Japanese culture.”
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  • The Australian model starred in Ugg’s campaign alongside Kim Petras, Parris Goebel, Duckie Thot and Elon Musk’s mother, Maye Musk
  • Already featured in international editions of Vogue, Ly has noticed that Asian stars are the new faces of luxury, likening the hallyu wave to the 2000s’ anime boom