[16] Liu was encouraged by her mother to pursue modeling in order to improve her posture after she developed the habit of hunching her back as she towered over her classmates.

[15] In 2005, 17-year old Liu won the semi-final of the New Silk Road World model contest in her home province of Hunan.

[20] She debuted on international runways in the same month, walking for Burberry and closing the fall Trussardi show in Milan.

[citation needed] In 2009, Liu became the first woman of Chinese descent to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

[23] In the same year Liu worked with top brands such as Calvin Klein, Roberto Cavalli, Alexander Wang, Dolce&Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and she also appeared on the cover of Vogue Germany, Spain, Italia and America.

In April 2010, it was announced that Liu along with Constance Jablonski and Joan Smalls would help to represent the cosmetics company Estée Lauder.

[29] In October of the same year, Liu became the first person in the world to showcase an Apple Watch on a magazine cover when she appeared on Vogue China's November 2014 issue.

[35] In 2017, Liu Wen became the second ever Chinese model to appear on the front cover of American Vogue for its 125th Anniversary March 2017 issue, photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin alongside Adwoa Aboah, Ashley Graham, Gigi Hadid, Imaan Hammam, Kendall Jenner, and Vittoria Ceretti.

Examples of brands that have featured Wen in their marketing efforts include Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Roberto Cavalli, and Dolce & Gabbana.

Also, Chanel Beauty – a French company that produces luxury clothes and accessories – has appointed Wen as its global ambassador.

Liu has appeared in campaigns for Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Oscar de la Renta, Hugo Boss, Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, H&M, Marni, Lane Crawford, Bergdorf Goodman, Diesel, Gap, and Vivienne Tam.

Her record for a single season is seven including DKNY Jeans, The GAP, Barneys New York, Benetton, Alexander Wang, Converse, and cKone in Spring 2009.

She has also been featured in editorials for Numéro (as well as a cover), GQ, V magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Pop Magazine, Allure, i-D (as well as a cover), Interview, and W. In February 2018, Liu Wen posted a photo on Instagram showing herself and Wendi Deng Murdoch with the English caption "Happy Lunar New Year!