Model Behaviour with May Siu

On a path fraught with uncertainty, May Siu is determined to push boundaries and use her talent to achieve greatness.

May Siu wears Saint Laurent Winter 2022 collection by Anthony Vaccarello. Projecting an opulent and timeless visual statement, the collection redefines high glamour with sinuous lines and nonchalant oversized coats.

May Siu’s journey has been one of faith, hard work, and serendipitous encounters. Determined to score all her goals, the Malaysian has built up an impressive portfolio under her belt with full stride and confidence. However, much like the start of anyone who’s had to begin from the ground up, May Siu too was once an uncertain youth like any other who wasn’t sure if she'd be able to get this far in her career.

Introduced to fashion at a young age, May Siu had always known she would end up in the fashion industry. “I was always interested in fashion, but I wasn’t sure how I fit into it,” she said. In the end, it was up to her to decide how to make the most out of her situation and demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. So, she entertained the idea of PR, styling and journalism, deciding that she didn’t want to fit into the traditional parameters of the fashion industry.

Pushing the boundaries and creating new things that would soon inspire, she eventually found her love for fashion journalism and pursued it, thus shifting her life in the best way possible. “I was in Paris covering a few shows as a journalist during Men’s Fashion Week in 2019 when I was scouted by a couple of casting directors—Rory Griffin and Zoard Heuze, who founded Tide Casting.” They had signed her almost immediately and she was soon seen strutting the runway for Marques’ Almeida, Sinead Gorey, and Katie Ann Mcguigan for London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020.

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Thanks to her success on various catwalks, she’d learned that modelling was her passion. “When the opportunity to model came about, I saw it as another way for me to be involved in the fashion world, and along the way, it also became a channel for self-reflection and self-expression, a platform to understand more about myself and my style.”

But, when the pandemic hit, she had to make the biggest shift in her life—May Siu found her passion for writing again. “I returned to Kuala Lumpur in 2020 just as the pandemic hit. Once cases soared, I decided to take that as an opportunity to stay in Malaysia, reconnect with family, and rediscover my roots.”

Halting her life as a model, May Siu couldn’t just see her life wilt away during the pandemic. So she channelled her energy not only into getting back into the fashion industry but also into publishing. With a background in fashion communications, the model took a job at Buro Malaysia. “Writing has always been a means of self-expression for me. I found my way into journalism because it was a way for me to gain more knowledge, understand, and share about the topics and individuals that I want to know more about,” she explained.

She also freelanced for notable publications including Mula Zine, i-D, Lampoon Magazine and more. “As a writer, I think it’s important to document and platform local emerging talents, and celebrate and showcase Asian identity, culture and creativity, especially in a world that has been so dominated by the West,” she said. May Siu hopes to continue to create more spaces for people like her to be more represented via her crossroads between writing and modelling.

The fluidity with which she navigates the highs and lows of her career may be a watermark of her generation. May Siu is no stranger to criticism and rejection, particularly those that involve one’s physical appearance. Learning not to live by other people’s opinions and not to take criticism to heart is how she approaches modelling. “I won’t take it personally, because there will be other opportunities,” she said. She adds, “Modelling has allowed me to see myself through the eyes of different people, and embrace and love my features more.”

A quick scroll through social media right now will show a burst of professional achievements, triumphs, personal and body goals. The need to seek validation through others is more prevalent than ever but that hasn’t deterred the model. “While there’s been progress over the last few years, the industry’s take on body positivity—as with diversity and inclusivity—still has a ways to go,” said May Siu.

Keeping her head held high, she adds, “The very structure of the industry makes it difficult for change to happen quickly––it boils down to the concept of standardised sizing and measurements, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”

Although still in the early stages of her modelling career, she’s determined to work hard to achieve her dreams and goals despite uncertainty and rejection. “It does get to me mentally, but having friends and family on your side helps. I feel super grateful to have been able to work with so many talented local creatives and be a part of their vision,” she said.