2021 MODEL OF THE YEAR
VALERINA YOUNG
VALERINA YOUNG
Valerina Young was crowned ATV Miss Asia East Coast 2nd Runner Up in 2014 at the age of sixteen. At the time, she was a junior studying Vocal Music at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. After being crowned, she set straight to work outside the classroom as a broadcast journalist for the Hong Kong based television station, Asia Television Limited (ATV). For an audience of nearly 100 million, Valerina hosted two shows, New York Express, which reported social development and commercial activities pertaining to the Asian populations of the New York Metropolitan areas, and Trendy New York, which discussed fashion and arts. She worked until 2016 when her contract expired, which was when she decided to dabble in modeling.
Valerina’s first official runway show was a Spring/Summer 2016 Fashion showcase with Designer, Rashad Calhoun, of DAHSAR by Rashad.
Walking alongside NBA (formerly) Nets star, Rondae Hollis Jefferson, she was published on the NBA website. She then went on to walk for independent designers in shows including but not limited to AsianInNY, Couture Fashion Week, ASC Fashion Week, iCUNYC Fashion Week, International Fashion and Arts Week, and, more recently, Street Fashion Week. In her shows, she has opened and closed for numerous collections. In addition to runway, she has also shot for numerous lookbooks and been in countless publications. In 2017, she co-starred in a fashion campaign for Indonesian designer, Vanny Tousignant.
In NYFW Spring 2020, Valerina modeled for an experimental NY based fashion label by interdisciplinary artist Amanda Mehl, AMEHL. The show, titled “How to Keep Your Husband,” landed her in NYMag’s The Cut. In FW 2020, Valerina found herself in Office Magazine and The Purple Diary magazine.
In 2020, after acting in a fashion video, titled “Precious” by AMEHL, her image graced a Time Square billboard hosted by ZAZ 10 Times Square.
Despite the pandemic, after following social distancing protocols, Valerina’s image again graced a Time Square billboard, this time hosted by NASDAQ through modeling for HiTechModa. In the runway show for HiTechModa, she walked for Josie Valdez, opening the collection. In the pandemic Spring Summer 2021 season, she also walked in Street Fashion Week and even modeled in a Halloween social media campaign for KOVASKY.
Valerina has also been hired to emcee for numerous events. She’s emceed for galas, International Fashion and Arts Week 2017, and fundraisers. In February 2020, she emceed the Lunar New Year event at Queens Center Mall. Holding a Chancellors Endorsement in the Arts in Vocal Music from her training in high school, Valerina is also a professional singer who has been hired to sing the national anthem and perform in numerous events. She is also a two time winner of the Stylish Charm award in the Chinese-American singing competition, Supernova.
Last year, Valerina graduated as semester early from New York University with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture and Communication. Outside of modeling, Valerina possesses experience in a variety of industries and currently works as a marketing associate for a stock market.
Valerina closed off the year on the cover of the December 2020 issue of Farbe magazine.
Valerina’s first official runway show was a Spring/Summer 2016 Fashion showcase with Designer, Rashad Calhoun, of DAHSAR by Rashad.
Walking alongside NBA (formerly) Nets star, Rondae Hollis Jefferson, she was published on the NBA website. She then went on to walk for independent designers in shows including but not limited to AsianInNY, Couture Fashion Week, ASC Fashion Week, iCUNYC Fashion Week, International Fashion and Arts Week, and, more recently, Street Fashion Week. In her shows, she has opened and closed for numerous collections. In addition to runway, she has also shot for numerous lookbooks and been in countless publications. In 2017, she co-starred in a fashion campaign for Indonesian designer, Vanny Tousignant.
In NYFW Spring 2020, Valerina modeled for an experimental NY based fashion label by interdisciplinary artist Amanda Mehl, AMEHL. The show, titled “How to Keep Your Husband,” landed her in NYMag’s The Cut. In FW 2020, Valerina found herself in Office Magazine and The Purple Diary magazine.
In 2020, after acting in a fashion video, titled “Precious” by AMEHL, her image graced a Time Square billboard hosted by ZAZ 10 Times Square.
Despite the pandemic, after following social distancing protocols, Valerina’s image again graced a Time Square billboard, this time hosted by NASDAQ through modeling for HiTechModa. In the runway show for HiTechModa, she walked for Josie Valdez, opening the collection. In the pandemic Spring Summer 2021 season, she also walked in Street Fashion Week and even modeled in a Halloween social media campaign for KOVASKY.
Valerina has also been hired to emcee for numerous events. She’s emceed for galas, International Fashion and Arts Week 2017, and fundraisers. In February 2020, she emceed the Lunar New Year event at Queens Center Mall. Holding a Chancellors Endorsement in the Arts in Vocal Music from her training in high school, Valerina is also a professional singer who has been hired to sing the national anthem and perform in numerous events. She is also a two time winner of the Stylish Charm award in the Chinese-American singing competition, Supernova.
Last year, Valerina graduated as semester early from New York University with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture and Communication. Outside of modeling, Valerina possesses experience in a variety of industries and currently works as a marketing associate for a stock market.
Valerina closed off the year on the cover of the December 2020 issue of Farbe magazine.
Submitted By:
World Fashion Media News
Model Scout
Aldo Antonio
NYC
World Fashion Media News
Model Scout
Aldo Antonio
NYC