Former editor-in-chief at iLook magazine, a subsidiary publication of Hung Huang , Xiao Xue has been recognised for pioneering the use of social media to tap into a new, youthful demographic in her former position as editor-in-chief of Elle China, which she left in December 2019.
Elle China was the first international fashion magazine to descend on the Chinese market in 1988. It was first launched as a monthly publication and later increased to a biweekly frequency, to accommodate additional advertising pages. Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar Men subsequently followed Elle’s lead.
Xiao Xue was been commended for acclimatising the international publication to placate its Chinese readers. She was credited for the quality and quantity of the magazine’s fashion and advertising content. During her reign, cover stars have included Coco Rocha , Jessica Alba, Miranda Kerr , and Chinese supermodel Liu Wen .
Elle China has a vast presence amongst China’s online community. The covers, especially, are a constant source of conversation. The publication also has an Elle TV channel, an iPad version of the magazine, and an Elle credit card function. Many credited Xiao Xue with translating Elle into a consumer-savvy multimedia company.
While in her early forties, Xiao Xue graduated from the China-Europe International Business School with an Executive Master’s of Business Administration. She grew up in Beijing, and is considered an opinion leader amongst Chinese women. Xiao Xue published her first book, ‘Elegance,’ in 2012, divulging her bifurcated life as a career woman, mother, and girlfriend. She also appeared as a judge on Hong Kong music reality show SuperGirls.
