New York - Chinese top model Liu Wen became the first Asian to appear on the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show on Thursday.

Liu, 21, joined the lingerie label's five new 'Angels', including high-profile American model Chanel Iman, on the New York runway. 'Angel' is a term reserved for top models.

The other new Angels are Emanuela de Paula, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Lindsay Ellingson and Candice Swanepoel.

The 1.79-m Liu, from China's Hunan province, started modelling after competing in the New Silk Road World Model contest in 2005.

She did not win but designers Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier fell for her high cheek bones and began working with her, according to fashion website modelinia.com.

She went on to appear on international runways for Chanel, Gaultier and Hermes, and has been featured in ad campaigns this spring for ck one, DKNY, Benetton, Diane von Furstenberg and Barney's New York.

On Thursday, supermodel Heidi Klum was the audience favourite, drawing applause as the show's host in her purple corset covered with a half gown with poufs of tulle.

Her figure is super-slim even though she gave birth to a daughter, her fourth child, just five weeks ago.

Musical guest The Black Eyed Peas - especially member Fergie, who wore a black, jewelled bodysuit - was another crowd-pleaser.

Former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl Marisa Miller wore a US$3-million (S$4.2-million), diamond-encrusted bra.

The overall collection did not seem as skimpy though Australia's Miranda Kerr wore an itsy-bitsy black-thong ensemble that might be edited out of the show to be televised on CBS on Dec 1.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.