Fan Bingbing on Mugler Catwalk, is Bodyshamed Against Black Models

On October 2, Fan Bingbing closed out the catwalk for the Mugler Spring/Summer 2024 women’s wear series, marking one of the actress’s most significant appearances since her bombshell 2018 tax evasion scandal.

However, Fan’s return received a mixed response.

Continuing Mugler’s signature tight-fitting style, Fan Bingbing donned a tulle jumpsuit that clung to her figure. The floor-length gauze, connected to black tights, reflected an orange hue under the lights.

But instead of focusing on the fashion, some netizens were critical of Fan’s aging appearance and body shape in comparison to supermodel Anok Yai.

“I have admired Fan Bingbing’s appearance since I was a child,” one user posted on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform similar to Instagram. “I dream of becoming someone like her. However, when Anok Yai and Bingbing walked side-by-side today, it instantly highlighted the incredible proportions of black models.”

“There's nothing we can do about racial advantages,” reads one highly-upvoted comment. “Just like we Asian people are more resistant to aging.”

“Black people are more resistant to aging,” replied another user.

“Black people have the best proportions, followed by white people, followed by Asian people,” reads another top comment. “This is determined by genetic and racial traits. Fan Bingbing still looks very good.”

Not all Chinese netizens held a negative viewpoint. Some hailed this show as “the most exciting” of Fan’s three post-scandal public appearances, describing the actress as “a black fox demon who has been practicing for thousands of years and finally transformed into a human.”

“Although her physical attributes may not compare to those of supermodels, her charisma and presence are undeniable,” commented one Weibo user.

This is one of Fan’s most significant appearances in the public eye since her major tax scandal. Starting in May 2018, tax authorities in Jiangsu investigated her tax records, revealing a long-running tax evasion scheme. Later in October, Fan publicly addressed the issue, apologizing for her and her company’s debt of 883 million yuan (127.4 million dollars) in order to avoid criminal charges.

Cover image via Twitter, additional image via Wikimedia Commons