Meet the face of Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia’s May 2026 issue.
Something happens when Lisha Ho steps in front of a camera. She moves with precision, making calculated, almost imperceptible adjustments in her face and body, to become whoever she needs to be in order to bring a creative vision to life. The seasoned model has honed this chameleonic ability for the last 13 years and it is on full display at Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia’s cover shoot. Ho takes direction without hesitation, sliding effortlessly into a new persona—bashful, vulnerable, mischievous, pensive, powerful—with every Ralph Lauren Collection look.
The Many Faces of Lisha Ho
Top left: Bustier; trousers; and necklace, all from Ralph Lauren Collection Bottom right: Beret; earrings; jacket; shirt; and The Ralph Calfskin Tote Bag, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
“I always do my homework. When I walk into a casting, I have an idea of what the casting directors are looking for, how they like models to present themselves, and how they shot their previous campaigns,” she explains. “If I get the job, I study the concept and the moodboard to start figuring out the story they want to tell and how to fit myself into that creative vision.”
Jacket; trousers; shoes (just seen), all from Ralph Lauren Collection
Ho reveals that the preparation was necessary because being in the spotlight did not always come naturally to her. “A friend had to really push me into signing up for the pageant,” she laughs, referring to the Miss Astro Chinese International Pageant 2013, after which she was catapulted into the world of fashion as a model. She reflects: “Those early years shaped me. I was so shy back then; I felt like I didn’t look good in anything. I grew up as a heavier kid, always wearing a huge, oversized t-shirt to cover myself up–and not in the high fashion way you see now!”
The gruelling schedules, intense competition, and unforgiving beauty standards of being a full-time model has not broken Ho’s spirit; she recounts the extreme diet and exercise regimen that “screwed up [her] body” for years before the slowdown from the global pandemic gave her a much-needed pause to recover. She can get lost in the task of taking on a new challenge. “Maybe it’s because I’m an Aquarius,” she muses. “I go with the flow and do whatever it takes, but as you can see, it’s not always a good thing.”
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- Dress and shoes, Ralph Lauren Collection
These days, she is finding a better balance, especially as she ventures into new territory: social media. The world is changing, Ho says. Where models were previously expected to only be a face, it is almost as important now to have a voice. And after years of transforming into someone else for the camera, whether it’s a character or an elevated version of herself, she is tasked with showing the world who she really is, rather than who she can be.
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- Shirt; trousers; necklace; shoes; silk scarf; and The Ralph Calfskin Mini Crossbody Bag, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
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- Wide brim hat; silk satin tie; shirt; sweater vest; trousers; and The Ralph Bucket Bag, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
Ho has recently begun giving her followers a glimpse into her life, from her daily routine and skincare tips to travel vlogs and fashion week coverage. “This is the hardest part of my job right now!” she exclaims. “But I am accepting this new reality.”
“I’m not a cool girl,” she says with a self-conscious laugh, concerned that she does not live up to the glamorous life of an off-duty model as portrayed in movies and TV shows. “What you see is what you get. Unless I’m working, I don’t really go out. I spend most of my time at home cooking or looking after my pets; I have four dogs and more than 10 cats,” she adds, showing genuine surprise that her videos have been received with so much positivity online.
Jacket; shirt; trousers; and The Ralph Calfskin Shoulder Bag, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
For her followers, it is less about what she is doing, and more about her refreshingly sunny disposition as she goes about her day. Even when she is rushing from show to show, navigating the busy streets of Milan during fashion week, she does not lose her composure and signature smile. Hearing this, she observes, “I feel more free when I travel for work. When I’m in front of a camera, I try to empty my mind of the worries and thinking you’re not good enough because it always shows on your face. When I’m abroad, my mind stays in that space a longer time, so the pressure is off. I’m making new friends and chatting with the people sitting at the next table. I don’t do that so much in Malaysia.”
Dress; shoes; and earrings, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
“It’s still hard for me to voice my opinions or share details about my personal life. Sometimes, I’ll post right before bed or at a really busy time and put my phone far away, so I don’t have to look at it for a few hours,” she admits.
But she is encouraged by the community she is building on different social media platforms, including Chinese-language app, RedNote: “My followers are always so supportive and respectful; my interactions with them in the comments are so genuine. It feels healthy!”
“I was even recognised at a café for the first time last week. That has never happened before,” she says. And she should mark the occasion as the beginning of the next phase in her career, one in which the world is allowed to see Lisha Ho as she sees herself.
Dress; shoes; and earrings, all from Ralph Lauren Collection
