Our Fair Ladies

“Chandigarh has 20-25 girls active on the modelling circuit,but four of them have taken the lead,” says the city’s well-known grooming guru and fashion choreographer Jeet Brar,as he introduces us to the models. Meet Jonsy Sethi (22),Ravina Thakur (21) Jia Sharma (19) and Chitrakshi (18),whose recent events included a fashion show to launch fungicides for farmers,followed by a stint at the launch of a new hair spa in Sector 22 and the Orra jewellery launch. “We end up doing a minimum of ten events a month,” says Sethi who has modelling assignments with brands such as Tanishq,Orra,L’Oreal,Sant Ram Mangat Ram Jewellers,Anmol Jewels and Red Tag to name a few. She has also modelled for Mumbai-based Goenka Exports and for Oswal in Ludhiana. “I studied fashion design at the Inter National Institute of Fashion Design in Chandigarh but ended up choosing modelling as a career,” says Sethi who hails from Kurukshetra,Haryana but has made Chandigarh her home for the last couple of years.

Like Sethi,the other three are also do not hail from Chandigarh. Thakur is from Shimla,Sharma from Ludhiana while Chitrakshi is from Karnal. “I came to Chandigarh to complete my air hostess training from Frankfinn Institute,” says Thakur,living in the city for nearly three years. “Modelling happened by chance but I am really enjoying it with plenty of work available,” she adds.

The youngest of the lot — Chitrakshi — commutes from Karnal as and when there’s an assignment. Sharma,who resides in Sector 37,looks at modelling as a stepping stone to a bigger arena. “Right now there’s work but I really want to go to Mumbai. I want to be an actor and the modelling industry is the closest place to start,” she says.

Looking forward to the second edition of the Chandigarh Fashion Week slated for later this year,Sethi is gung-ho about the way the modelling scene in the city is picking up pace. “We are paid Rs 5,000 for events and around Rs 15,000 to 20,000 for the shoots. With around ten events a month,it works out well,” explains Sethi. “We all aspire to progress to bigger shows in the metros. As of now,it’s a cakewalk,” says Sethi. While launches are easy and effortless,ramp shows are the most exciting. “For most events,we take our own makeup kits. It works better that way,” says Sharma. Looks like we’ll be seeing them around for some time to come. Until then.

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