'Didn't really have a choice': Livestreamers in China turn to men to model lingerie after women models banned

What can business owners in China do given the livestream ban on women models in lingerie? Get the men to do it.

One lingerie seller started the ball rolling by replacing its woman models with men in December last year.

The move, while quirky, worked and more businesses are jumping on board too.

According to Business Insider, an e-commerce business owner surnamed Xu told Jiupai News he turned to male models because he "didn’t really have a choice” given that his designs could not be modelled by women anymore. 

Most Chinese netizens were amused by the recent turnaround in trend.

在中国，女人在直播间里是不能穿内衣出镜的。否则直播间将因为涉嫌传播淫秽而立刻被永久封禁。那如果我非要在直播间带货卖女式内衣该怎么办呢？很简单，找男人来穿。 pic.twitter.com/4CHlq7fMdx

— 小径残雪 (@xiaojingcanxue) January 11, 2023

A comment on a video clip on Chinese social media platform, Douyin, which garnered over 200 likes, read: “The guy wears it better than the girl.”

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Of course, there were those who felt that using mannequins might be a better alternative to accurately portray female lingerie. 

Some also felt that the trend was “depriving women of job opportunities”. 

Mr Xu, in response, said to Jiupai News: “Many directors of these livestreams are women, are they also stealing men's jobs?”

The trend of men modelling female products is not unprecedented, though. 

Wu Nan, a 41-year-old man from Sichuan previously went viral after modelling his own brand of high heels, making nearly one million a month. 

Similarly, China’s “lipstick king”, 28-year-old influencer Austin Li Jiaqi, also became famous after modelling lipstick and reviewing luxury goods.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaQa070T6-8[/embed]