Chinese supermodel Ming Xi took a tumble during the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which was filmed on November 20 and aired a week later on CBS. The 28-year-old bombshell had walked in four past Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows, so she was no stranger to the event--let alone the catwalk in general. Nevertheless, life got in the way, and Xi ended up falling to the ground when she got stuck in some of the flowy fabric of her outfit. When Xi got back to her feet, she kept on strutting her stuff and tried not to let the mortification she felt show on her face. But now she has provided extra insight into how she honestly felt and how she is dealing with the embarrassment. Check out her lovely statement here:
Aw, what a thoughtful explanation. Ming Xi indeed comes across as a humble and professional person who takes her job seriously, but not so severely that she has forgotten her humanity. She had a lot riding on this particular show, because it was in her hometown of Shanghai, China, and her family and friends were there-- but sometimes things happen. Ming Xi shared the words with her 981,000 fans on Instagram, and most everyone in the comments sent supportive messages. For example, one Instagram follower wrote,
It's not where we fall, it's how we recover #graceful
Then another friendly Instagram commenter offered,
Everybody falls a few times in life, literally & figuratively. Yeah, it sucks, but you brush yourself off and go on, which is what you did like a pro. Don't be too hard on yourself. You're beautiful, and you showed us how vulnerable we all are, and you still looked amazing doing it!
It is worth noting that when the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired on CBS on November 28, some people on social media criticized the network for not editing out the footage of Ming Xi falling. People noted how editors had removed other runway gaffes inadvertently recorded during past Victoria's Secret Fashion Show tapings. For example, Ariana Grande nearly got hit by the wings of a Victoria'sSecret model when she participated in the 2014 show; however, that moment got the boot from the major-network televised broadcast of the show that year. Ming Xi, on the other hand, actually fell on the ground. Then when she stood up, she was noticeably trying hard to shake off the mistake. You can see the fall here:
And then you can see her trying to catch her bearings here:
These videos alone look mortifying, but the fashion show's display of Ming Xi's embarrassment wasn't over. The editors left in backstage commentary from producers saying things like, "Ming is down!" and "Can she get up? Is she okay?" Then the cameras followed her backstage to show her sobbing in the arms of other models. So, viewers who complained perhaps had reason to do so. For example, this Twitter user wrote,
And then this person added an element of conspiracy to the mix and said,
Wow, did this fashion show occur down Shady Lane or what? At the same time, it was heartening to see the audience cheer for Ming Xi. Also, we loved seeing the other Victoria's Secret Angels come to her aid, so maybe that was what CBS wanted to show, too. Plus, the outpouring of support Xi received on social media was touching. Sure, there might be the few grumbles out there from people saying, "She had one job," but you know what? That one job was something we were supposed to enjoy as entertainment, it's important to give people a break sometimes, especially in situations like this one. Xi still shined in her gorgeous outfit, and her response to what happened was considerate and heartfelt, so even though she fell, she soared.
