A Chinese dancer turned international model on a whim. Having worked with legendary photographers, Zhengyang Zhang has a unique look that almost distracts from the clothes he is wearing.
2019 Male Model of the Year nominee Zhengyang Zhang is a growing star in the industry. Hailing from Beijing, China, Zhang has always been interested in traditional Chinese art and for over ten years he has been a professional dancer with his primary focus being Chinese Ethnic and Folk Dancing.
It was a talent scout that asked Zhang if he was interested in modelling and only agreed to do it part-time until he had finished his schoolwork. But, even so, his look is so strong that one of his first shows he walked was for Versace in 2017 for their F/W 17 Men’s Show.
Zhang walked the Anna Sui F/W 17 Show and was spotted in the crowd by legendary photographer, Steven Miesel. Meisel and W Magazine showed the world who Zhang was and what he was capable of in an androgynous 16-page editorial titled, ‘Shape Shifter.’ Zhang has himself stated that this was a dream modelling job in an interview with Male Model Scene.
Zhang is an artist in front of the camera. His movements and poses are so unique. He draws from his experience as a dancer to create fluid motions with a natural flow to the body.
The Fall of 2017 saw Zhang walk up to 18 shows with the likes of Versace, H&M, and John Varvatos. But things were about to change. In 2018, given the positive reception to the W Magazine editorial, Zhang walked at fewer shows and shifted his focus towards editorials. Some highlights include his work with Teen Vogue and Paper Magazine, the latter of which acted as an homage for Steven Miesel’s birthday.
Zhang in 2019 continued to work on editorials, including W Magazine again. 2019 was a big year for Zhang as he posed for the front cover of Glass Magazine, draped all in the finest Givenchy has to offer.
Zhang has since worked with Ralph Lauren for their F/W 2020 advertising campaign, Marc Jacobs, Vogue Germany and Hong Kong, plus many more.
It seems though that Zhang has found a special talent for editorial shoots. It is no wonder as to why, his androgynous looks, the way he can move and contort his body is a perfect fit for the artistry required in an editorial.
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