Kaci Beh: Beyond The Runway
“Don’t live life with regrets. You only live this life once,” says 25-year-old model, Kaci Beh, whose career has gone from a casting call in Singapore to the runways of Milan.
Source: @kacibeh on Instagram
Kaci modelling for DMK shoes.
But before you think her journey is typical, she proves that walking for luxury brands also takes resilience, creativity and drive. Behind the glam, Kaci shows that it’s her grit and tenacity that have helped her thrive in the spotlight.
An Unexpected Path to the Runway
For Kaci, modelling was never the original plan. In 2018, she dropped out of a retail management course at Temasek Polytechnic after deciding it wasn’t for her.
Thereafter, the then-18-year-old then found herself to be lost, struggling with uncertainty for her future. To make matters worse, there was much pressure from her mother to find a job, leading to her turning into a couch potato for quite some time.
Luckily, an opportunity opened for Kaci, in the form of an open casting call with Basic Models.
“I decided to try it out,” she says, “and from there, my career expanded.” Across the six years in the modelling field, the 25-year-old has graced multiple magazine covers and walked for top brands like Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Philipp Plein.
Source: Her World Magazine
Kaci being featured on the front cover for Her World Magazine.
She’s just returned from a two-month placement in Milan, where she was able to dive deep into the fast-paced world of international fashion.
Facing a Competitive Industry with Resilience
Source: Emporio Armani
Kaci walking the runway for Emporio Armani.
While Singapore’s modelling scene has its own set of pressures, Kaci finds that beyond all the glitz and the glamour, the global markets are far more intense.
“The modelling industry right now is quite competitive and cutthroat, especially overseas. I’ve met many models from castings and on jobs, and I feel right now there are a lot of models with super strong faces and personalities. So, it’s rather difficult to break into the industry overseas,” she shares.
One of the greatest challenges that Kaci shared about her journey was the challenges that come with being an Asian model.
The fashion industry and traditional beauty standards have long favoured traits commonly found in Western models over those of Asian models. Although brands have been making efforts to increase diversity in their model selections, the number of spots available for Asian models still remains limited.
Kaci sheds light on her struggles, saying: “I’m competing with many other girls from countries like China, South Korea and Japan. Amongst over hundreds of girls, brands would only choose one to three Asian girls for their shows.”
However, the fierce competition has only strengthened her resolve and resilience, and she’s learned to rely on these traits throughout her entire career. “You must be strong-willed and remain optimistic at all times,” she shares her advice.
Another challenge Kaci faced early on in her modelling career was “not being able to change my look.” Kaci is one of very few models who’s tattooed, and she’s shared that this has cost her many opportunities over the years.
Back when she’d just started out, brands weren’t very open to having tattooed models. Especially in Singapore, where having large, prominent tattoos like Kaci can be seen as a taboo.
Despite this, Kaci found ways to channel her creativity within these constraints, pushing the boundaries and ultimately finding her footing—developing the iconic look and style that she has today, one that’s distinctly and uniquely hers.
“I fought against the odds and found my identity with my look,” she says, though she notes that she strongly advises against others doing the same.
A Peek Behind the Curtain: Between Modelling and Creation
As a full-time model, Kaci’s daily routine is demanding.
“It’s drastically different now from what it used to be,” she explains. Her mornings begin with emails and product shoots, followed by shooting for various fashion or skincare campaigns—or sometimes even a full day dedicated to runway gigs and modelling shoots. “If I have a modelling gig, it will either take up half a day or a full day depending on the job,” she shares.
On her days off, she also pursues content creation on her social media, allowing her to expand her skillset and chase her interests beyond just modelling.
In fact, Kaci’s artistic nature doesn’t end at just creating content. She’s also an avid tattoo artist, spending many hours designing and tattooing for clients. “I enjoy the process of long hours tattooing my clients,” she explains. “When my clients are happy with the final product or when I finish the final art piece, I feel super accomplished.”
To Kaci, tattooing provides a unique outlet for her creativity that she sometimes finds lacking in modelling. Especially since as an artist, she’s free to experiment with various designs, styles and techniques.
Despite this love for tattooing, the model admits that it does also come with its own set of challenges: “It’s super tough for me to find inspiration sometimes,” she confesses. Still, this sense of joy and accomplishment she finds in this craft keeps her coming back to it as often as her schedule allows it.
Balancing Work, Self-Care, and Ambitions
With such a densely packed schedule, the 25-year-old still makes self care a priority.
Source: @kacibeh on Instagram
“I take time off for at least one hour in the day for myself and for what I like to do in my free time—watching Korean variety shows and finding art and tattoo inspirations from Pinterest,” she shares.
While her work can easily stretch into the evening, Kaci tries her best to keep her hours manageable too.
“I usually clock off work at around 7.30 to 8pm, that’s where I’ll stop replying to emails or stop editing videos and leave it for next day’s work.”
For Kaci, maintaining these boundaries is absolutely essential for avoiding burnout, especially in a field that’s as physically and mentally demanding as hers.
Source: @kacibeh on Instagram
Despite all her achievements in her six-year-long career, Kaci shares that she doesn’t have a rigid career plan. “I don’t have a fixed goal,” she admits, “I just want to do what I love to do and be happy everyday doing what I do.” Her carefree perspective on her future allows her to embrace new opportunities as they come, without feeling intense pressure to reach any specific milestone.
When it comes to the long-term, the model’s dreams are surprisingly simple and grounded.
“Ideally, my long-term goal is what most people would want—having a family, and eventually being able to feed my family is my long-term goal.”
For now, she’s determined on living her life fully in the present and keeping an open-mind to whatever comes her way.
Living Life Without Regrets
If there’s a single piece of advice that the model would offer, it’s to seize every chance you can, and to live life to the fullest.
“You only live this life once and you are only young once—take this opportunity when you’re young, healthy, and energetic to try everything and anything you can, so you know what you like, and don’t like. Don’t always say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’, start doing it today,” she shares.
