Cheng Lei wears AKIRA dresses, on top, $1,089, and worn underneath, $979. SAINT LAURENT shoes, $1,480. All prices approximate; details at Vogue.com.au/WTB.
Prior to August 2020, Cheng Lei's world was vibrant. The then 45-year-old was living out her dream career as a business presenter for a Chinese television station. She had two beautiful children, aged 8 and 10, who were residing in Australia at the time due to covid border restrictions. Her last social media post before her incarceration showed her at an event in a lime green dress, smiling alongside her colleagues.
Born in central southern China, Cheng moved to Melbourne at just 10 years old, but still had a strong affection for her birthplace and its culture. After working as an accountant for five years, she accepted a job offer in the eastern coastal Chinese province of Shandong, and just two years later, pursued a career as a television journalist for the English-speaking channel of a state broadcaster. The new career path aligned with her deep love of storytelling, and drew on her bilingual skills and bicultural experience. Then came a role at US network CNBC, where Cheng worked as China correspondent covering the country's red-hot economic growth. When that role ended after nine years, she returned to the previous network.
In August 2020, as the pandemic was
