Kelly Chen looking great on the runway.

For most designers the perfect model would be six feet tall, wear a size 4, have a perfect cross-over walk and no personality. Designers often look at models as a necessary evil--they need the models for shows to exhibit their lines of clothing for buyers and the fashion press but the designers would be happier if they could somehow just send the dresses down the runway by themselves or perhaps draped on mannequins or dress forms. But they can't which is why one sees so many 17 year-old giraffes from Eastern Europe, girls with no hips or breasts, hitting the runways in Milan, Paris and New York. They are the next best thing to a mannequin.

Designers love movie stars, particularly those whose red carpet images wearing the latest frock will appear in the press and on the internet. Putting them on the runway is much chancier--while it will insure plenty of coverage, the spotlight might shine brighter on the star than on the clothing.

The ubiquitous Pamela Anderson has walked in shows for slightly edgy designer Vivienne Westwood

Italian actress Manuela Arcuri drew some attention to the Soprani Spring/Summer 2009 show in Milan:

William Tang Tat-chi decided his Spring/Summer 2010 show needed a splash so he convinced Kelly Chen to appear on the runway in his designs. It seems to have worked, since these pictures are popping up in lots of places including at CRIENGLISH.