Viral 'Grandma's Blanket' Fashion: Chinese Youth Transforms from Rural Boy to Fashion Icon

A Chinese model went viral after a video of him modeling in his grandmother's blanket, transforming his life over seven years from a rural boy to a supermodel. Though now a famous model, 27-year-old Lu Xianren from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China still remembers the pivotal moment in his life when he wrapped his grandmother's blanket around himself and modeled in front of his house, a video that went viral worldwide online.

Lu Xianren was born and raised in a small village in Hengzhou. He lived with his grandparents since childhood after his parents traveled to Guangdong province for work. He became fascinated by the fashion world from an early age, inspired by models and their confident walks and runway charm he saw on television. This led the village boy to secretly practice modeling in front of mirrors by himself.

At age 16, he dropped out of school and went to work in Guangdong province, taking various jobs including as a waiter and factory worker. However, after work, he still spent his free time doing what he loved—repurposing materials into clothing, filming modeling videos, and posting them on social media.

"After finishing work late at night, I had a lot of free time, so I did what I loved," Lu Xianren recalled those days.

During Chinese New Year 2019, he decided to quit his job, return to his hometown, and pursue online content creation seriously. Despite lacking money for expensive clothes or fancy runways, the fields, mountains, and village paths became his fashion stage. He used fertilizer sacks, palm leaves, duct tape, and everyday items to create fashion outfits before modeling barefoot in nature.

With his striking face, unique walk, and distinctive style, his videos gradually attracted more attention. On May 20, 2019, running out of creative ideas, he grabbed his grandmother's blanket, wrapped it around himself, and filmed a barefoot modeling video in the sweltering heat—not expecting the clip would go viral overnight, gaining millions of likes and making "Lu Xianren" a household name across the country.

However, fame came with both praise and criticism. Some saw him as having a "high-fashion face" destined for the industry, while others viewed him as merely seeking attention.

"I'm happy when people praise me, and criticism is normal. Since we make a living from the online world, we must accept both the positives and negatives," Lu Xianren said.

His distinctive style opened doors to the global fashion industry, leading to appearances at China International Fashion Week and fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, and London, where he walked alongside world-renowned supermodels. From an unknown young man, he now has tens of millions of social media followers and regularly participates in variety shows and entertainment projects.

Despite his success, Lu Xianren hasn't forgotten his hometown. He often wears traditional Zhuang ethnic clothing while modeling and continues to promote jasmine flowers, a famous product from his hometown, through online media. Credit: hk01 Compiled by Sanook Online News Team