Born in China with albinism and abandoned as an infant, Xueli Abbing began life carrying a label that many considered a curse. Orphanage workers named her “Xueli” – “snow” and “beautiful” – a quiet act of defiance against the prejudice surrounding her. Adopted by a Dutch family, she finally received the safety and love every child deserves, even as the world still often stared, whispered, or turned away.
A chance invitation to a Hong Kong photo shoot at 11 opened a door she never knew existed. From there, a London photographer helped her step into high fashion on her own terms, culminating in a striking spread in Vogue Italia. Now Xueli uses her visibility to challenge the fetishizing and dehumanizing of people with albinism, insisting on being seen as a person first, diagnosis second. Her message is simple and radical: difference is not a flaw to hide, but a light to protect and amplify.
