By Xu Junqian (
China Daily)
09:32, May 02, 2013
Zhang Wenjing, a model-turned-storeowner on Taobao, China's largest online bazaar, parades products from her online store. (China Daily)
More fashion models for online shopping site, Taobao.com, are changing roles. Instead of just posing for the site, they are selling clothes online. Xu Junqian finds out their motivations in Shanghai.
Getting paid 50,000 yuan ($8,090) a day to dress in the latest fashion and have their pictures taken is no longer attractive for models working for Taobao.com. Instead, more of these beauties nicknamed as Tao Girl, are changing roles - selling clothes, not only modeling them, on the country's largest online shopping bazaar.
Competition on Taobao, home to about 1.3 million women's wear stores, is getting fiercer and well-taken photos have become the main bargaining chip for these virtual stores to survive the competition. Seeing the potential, girls who used to make a decent living by modeling on Taobao, are now becoming their own boss.
"It's like a fashion trend," says Arzugul Nijat, a Tao Girl of the Uygur ethnic group. "Almost everyone of my Taobao model friends is thinking about opening a store, or has already opened one, on the website."
The 21-year-old college student who lives in Shanghai, started a store of her own after her two-year career as Tao Girl. Though she gave up just two months after the "grand opening" because of her "lack of business sense", the spirit of entrepreneurship has been ignited ever since.
The 1.65-meter-tall, 43-kilogram petite girl started her modeling career for a Japanese fashion magazine in 2009 and transferred to Taobao because money comes "faster and easier". She charges 1,000 yuan an hour for shooting.
Statistics from Taobao showed that by the end of 2012, there are more than 37,000 Tao Girls modeling for its online stores, 85 percent of whom work part time and the average age is 23. The "most expensive face" costs 50,000 yuan a day.
One of the base camps of the online models is Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, which is also the headquarters of Taobao and home to the country's biggest apparel wholesale market.
【1】 【2】 【3】 We recommend:
Zhang Yuqi, Wang Quanan get married Super kittens that make you laughNever-seen photos of Madonna on display "Low-carbon fashion" show held in ChinaHold on to the last tattoo of Li people11 most creative elevators in the worldWorld's most precious diamondsCute baby and his little bulldogsAngelababy poses for VOGUE magazine Email|
Print|
Comments(Editor:DuMingming、Yao Chun)
Increases the bookmark
twitterfacebookSina MicroblogdiggGoogleDeliciousbuzzfriendfeedLinkedindiigoredditstumbleuponQzoneQQ MicroblogRelated Reading
Star-studded affair at Dior's first runway show in ChinaFrench chic still reigns supremeVirtual changing roomModels present creations in 1st China Graduate Fashion WeekFashion you can touchDior's 30-minute encoreShanghai Fashion Week focuses on domestic brandsBusiness Men's Clothing Design Competition held in BeijingCreations by university students on show at China Fashion WeekChina Fashion Week in picturesHot NewsChinese FM highlights Thailand's role in China-ASEAN relations Three additional suspects charged in Boston bombing caseReform and opening up reshapes Chinese laborChinese rape victim's mother appeals to higher courtUnionPay issues first U.S. cardSky's the limit for business aviationAt 12, Ye set to become youngest on Euro TourCollege students to perform "Flowers in May" in Beijing
本站仅提供存储服务,所有内容均由用户发布,如发现有害或侵权内容,请
点击举报。