From the CBC:
72-year-old grandpa models for teen-girl fashion line
Liu Xianping has got the “it-model” look down pat; lean physique, chic gamine haircut, a sassy stance and coltish legs displayed in a pair of thigh-high stockings.
At first glance, one might not even notice that he’s a 72-year-old man in teen girl clothing. But that’s exactly what’s winning him fans in his home country of China and across the world right now.
Liu became an unlikely fashion icon after modeling pieces for his granddaughter’s online female clothing shop Yuekou- link.
The shop, owned by Liu’s granddaughter Ms. Lv and four of her college friends, is hosted on China’s leading online retail website Tmall.
According to Offbeat China, Liu had been helping the young ladies unpack their inventory when inspiration struck.
“He picked up one piece and tried to give some advice on how to mix and match,” said Lv to China Newsweek. “We thought it was fun so we started shooting.”
Liu ended up styling so many outfits that the girls used him to model their entire collection with a variety of different wigs and accessories.
The clothes fit Liu's slender frame perfectly. Sales have reportedly increased five-fold since the photos were uploaded, pleasing the shop's owners and their newfound muse too.
“Modeling for the store is helping my granddaughter and I have nothing to lose," said Liu to China Newsweek. "We were very happy on the day of the shooting. I’m very old and all that I care about is to be happy.”
Offbeat China reports that "reactions from local netizens have been overwhelmingly positive."
“He has such a good figure, especially those legs!” said a young woman named Satsuki on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo, a website that is often referred to as the Chinese Facebook or Twitter.
Others called him cool, fun, stylish, open-minded and compared him with Chanel creative director and fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld.
English-speaking audiences are just as charmed by the stylish senior's look and attitude.
