It’s not every day that a budding piano player becomes one of fashion’s in-demand models. But for Jessie Li, that very scenario has become her reality since first being scouted while purchasing school books at The Strand while studying classical music at Juilliard. Nearly a decade later, with dozens of tear sheets and campaigns to boot, Li is proving that one needs an air of elegance, a sense of duality, and some long-formed talent to keep the industry tuned in for what is yet to come.
V Magazine: I heard that you studied at Juilliard for piano playing before you immersed yourself in the world of high fashion. Was the pivot to go from music to modeling a hard one to make?
Jessie Li: I studied at Juilliard for two years before transferring to Columbia. My whole life revolved around piano and academia, but that move still felt like opening a door I didn’t even know existed. For so long, my identity had been defined by being all piano, all the time, and suddenly I had space to explore other sides of myself. As my modeling career started to take off, I realized how much I loved the energy and creativity of fashion. It felt natural, like discovering hidden parts of myself. But the musician in me never disappeared. In fact, the longer I’ve been in fashion, the more I feel this urge to merge the two worlds. And I feel I’m finally at a place where I can do that in a way that feels really authentic.
V: When did you first learn how to play piano? Did you enjoy your training from day one?
JL: I started when I was five. To be honest, not every day was a fairytale. It takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and commitment to reach the competition level, and I missed out on a lot of regular kid stuff because of practice and performances. There were moments I genuinely wondered if it was all worth it, but over time, I’ve become deeply grateful for that whole experience. Piano taught me discipline, resilience, and focus, and those have become the foundation for everything else I’ve built. Not everyone gets the opportunity to master something, and these days, the training itself is part of the joy.
V: What are some of your favorite pieces to play on the piano? Are there any dream collaborators that you wish to play with?
JL: Ravel’s Jeux d’eau will always have my heart. It feels like a perfect fusion of Eastern and Western influences—like two cultures in conversation, creating something luminous. Plus, I’ve won a few competitions with it, so it holds a special place for me. I also love playing anything by Philip Glass or Hans Zimmer. Their music just moves me—it pulls emotion out of you in the most unexpected ways. They’re so cinematic. As for dream collaborators? Maybe it’s outside the box, but I’d love to mix genres with Lady Gaga and James Blake, without a doubt. They’re both so fearless, innovative, and versatile. I really admire how they blend genres and push boundaries. Getting to collaborate with either of them would be an absolute dream.
V: Talk to us about how you first got into modeling. How did you get discovered?
JL: When I was in Manhattan studying piano at Juilliard, completely immersed in that whole classical music world, I got scouted at The Strand. I was in pajamas, picking up books for class—honestly, I thought it was a scam. But my friends did some digging, realized the scout was legit, and encouraged me to follow up. I ended up getting signed. At first, modeling was just a side hustle to help with school expenses—my focus was still very much on music and academics. But over time, I started to feel this shift. When I transferred to Columbia—where the curriculum is no joke—I had a moment of clarity. I had to ask myself: Should I do what I think I’m supposed to do—or what I feel I’m meant to do? From that point forward, I put my career first. And I haven’t looked back since.
V: Did you always want to model? What would you say was the spark that made you want to pursue modeling?
JL: Not at all. Modeling wasn’t even on my radar until I got scouted. At first, I was super skeptical—but the more I dipped my toes in, the more I realized how much I loved it. I was hesitant to fully embrace it because I was already so far along with music and college. But when I finally gave myself permission to go for it, it felt like breathing fresh air. I get to meet the most incredible people, travel the world, and create something new every week. Honestly, the spark was that moment of freedom—stepping back from piano for a second and asking myself: Who do I really want to be? Piano was never meant to be the only side of me.
V: Who are some of the pianists and supermodels that you looked up to growing up?
JL: Martha Argerich has always been the north star. Her early career mirrors mine in a lot of ways—she started young, her mother introduced her to classical music, and she carved out space for herself in a world where very few women received that kind of recognition at the time. She’s a force of nature. On the fashion side, it was definitely Sui He and Liu Wen. I remember opening one of my first magazines in middle school and seeing them—their beauty, their confidence… most of all, they looked like me. Up until that point, there was so little Asian representation in the fashion world. Seeing them made me feel like maybe there was a place for me too, once my turn came. I’d love to make that kind of impact. Maybe someone out there will see this and recognize their own path in it.
From V154 Summer 2025 Issue: now available for purchase!
Photography An Le
Fashion Nicola Formichetti
Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director Stephen Gan
Hair Peter Gray (Home) using Oway USA
Makeup Maki Ryoke (Walter Schupfer) using Bobbi Brown
Manicure Mo Qin (The Wall Group) using Aprés Nail
Editor Kevin Ponce
Set Designer Linden Elstran
1st photo Assistant Eliot Oppenheimer
2nd photo Assistant Dylan Macdonald
Digital Technician Michael Pardo
Production Ernesto Qualizza (Locals Worldwide)
Location Steinway & Sons Factory in Astoria, NY
Video Jesse Moritz
Video Assistant Steven Ungureanu
Styling Assistants Arut Arustamyan, Abel Martirosyan, Dylan Gue
Hair Assistants Josie Tippman
Set Design Assistants Chris Beeston, Seamus Creighton
Production Assistant Lyndsay Moretta
