ONE IN A SERIES OF PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS RUNNING THROUGHOUT FASHION WEEK SLUGGED "MODELS OF THE WORLD," EXPLORING THE LIVES OF MODELS
Jing Wen, center, of Guangzhou, China, waits to rehearse with other models before the Prabal Gurung Spring 2015 collection show Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, during Fashion Week in New York. Jing Wen, 19, began modeling at age 17. She says that as a little girl, she loved the idea of modeling, but never dreamed that she would end up walking runways internationally. Although her mother and sister are back in China, she doesn't often suffer from homesickness. For Jing Wen, the struggle to stay emotionally balanced is far more difficult. "You have to keep your heart strong," she explains. "It's so hard to get the show, so you have to [stay] peaceful, all the time." As for her future plans, Jing Wen sees herself as an entrepreneur. She says she plans to go back to school after modeling "and maybe after few years I will have my coffee shop." (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow), APTOPIX