Glamour on the Grid

Bharti Airtel,the title sponsor of the event,has started a reality show to find the right faces and figures. Auditions will take place in the next few weeks in major cities,and the show will be aired on television. Of the thousands who apply,only 48 girls will make it to the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida on October 30. The top three will be selected by public voting on Airtel’s website as “India’s choice”.

Internationally,grid girls are easy on the eye,their reed thin figures highlighted by short outfits. But this,as some sociopolitical lobby will soon point out,is India. Here,grid girls will dress attractively,not sexily. Well-known designer Mandira Wirk has been roped in to design a “modest” wardrobe for the grid’s leggy beauties,and she has the “Indian sensibilities in mind” as she works on the design board. Wirk,who also designed jerseys for the T-20 World Cup this year,says,“I was a state-level skater,a basketball and tennis player,so the association with sports comes naturally. I find it exciting to design sportswear.”

The girls will wear white and red on short dresses with the traditional grid designs on zipper details,reveals Wirk. “We were conscious about dressing them in comfortable gear and the outfits bring in shiny elements such as PVC patches,” she explains. She’s also designed wedge-heeled shoes with the same red-and-white grid pattern. Also,in what looks like a first for grid girls,formal Fedora hats have replaced the usual racing caps.

“I wanted to add my signature style and decided to have the girls wear hats instead of caps. I have used the colours of the Indian flag on the outfit as this is India’s first Formula One race,” says Wirk,who is keeping the final look of the grid girls’ uniform a well-guarded secret. “I’ve ensured that when the girls are on track,they’ll be easy to spot,” she says.

Meanwhile,Airtel has announced that it is looking for girls with “finesse,poise and beauty” and candidates for the audition must wear T-Backs or Racer Backs and hot pants. We get the drift.