Tall Order

However,modelling wasn’t really her first choice. “It happened spontaneously. I was the 2010 Femina Miss India contestant and that’s when I decided to make it a full-time career,” said Raut. Though,her sister is a successful model,the two has not got a chance to take a turn on the runway together so far. “We have worked on different assignments till now,” said Raut,who doesn’t discount taking fashion tips from Alicia,who is five years her senior.

21-year-old Bengaluru girl Kritika Babu was always the tallest girl in her group,consequently feeling awkward and shy. She would hunch over in an effort to blend in,till she ran in to choreographer Prasad Bidappa one day. Bidappa mentored her,taught her how to pose,pout and pirouette on the runway. “People don’t think I’m a debutante,” smiles Babu,as she waits for the fittings. To her credit,the 5’ 10” model has already strutted down Lakme Fashion week in March for designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee,Ranna Gill and Malini Ramani and walked at the Colombo Fashion Week. Now,she’s ready to move base to Mumbai. “ I want to pursue modelling and want to see how far I can go. I am hoping to make it big in the international circuit also,” she said.

“We have always stressed on the importance of introducing fresh faces. This edition will see participation of models from all parts of the world to create an exotic blend of Indian,pan-Asian and Western silhouettes,” says Sunil Sethi,President,Fashion Design Council of India.

A bunch of fresh-faced models are ready to take centre-stage when the curtains go up at the WIFW later this week,and not all of them are Indian. Among the 15 debutantes,eight are foreigners. Carla Yanina can easily pass off as Indian,thanks to her dusky complexion and black hair,but she tells you haltingly that’s only because she is from Argentina. At 16,she started on the global fashion merry-go-round in New York,Miami and San Francisco,before her agency sent her to India for a go at the WIFW. “Modelling is not the only thing I am good at,” smiles Yanina. Now 19,and represented by Toabh Talents in Delhi,she is also looking for a Bollywood window. The unassuming 5’ 8” lass though says she would also like to try her hand at photography and painting,while in India. “There’s so much to do still,” she says.

Ukranian model Maria Chernyakovych,22,is not new to the chaotic backstage at the WIFW. The 5’11 brunette has sasyashed down the ramp before,but she finds her name on the debut list. She is also not new to make-up,high heels and neon lights. “I started modelling when I was in school,around 11 or 12. It started as some kind of fun,” she says nonchalantly. Chernyakovych has walked for designer JJ Valaya and Nida Mahmood and has featured in the Levis and Aircel TV commercials. What started as a casual visit to “incredible India” has turned into a 10-month visit. “I have started to get a lot of work here,know many Indian designers,” she says.