Her first step

Standing first is something Anna Bredmeyer is used to. Last year, she was the first model to turn into an ambassadress when she joined Beaut...

Standing first is something Anna Bredmeyer is used to. Last year, she was the first model to turn into an ambassadress when she joined Beautiful Boulevard. Twenty years ago, she was one of the first models to be crowned supermodel8217;. And last month, Anna proved that she could still stand next to today8217;s top models and nearly dwarf them with her elegance and haute carriage.

But stringing together a long list of firsts has been easy for Anna who began her career at the age of 14. For instance, her first steps on the ramp were with a show that even established models could not dream of. In 1978, just after she had won the Miss India title, choreographer Shanti Chopra offered her an all-India show. quot;Shanti asked me to do the S Kumar8217;s show which was on an All-India circuit. For a first show, the offer was quite something,quot; she says.

And so was she. Anna has been a regular on the ramp for two decades and even today, she is the muse for top designers. The high-fashion finale for The EnduringImage had Anna back on the ramp for Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. A favourite with the designer duo, Anna is shy about hogging the limelight even though she is constantly thrust under it. quot;I am sure some of the models must have wondered what I was doing on the ramp. But I love the excitement of a live show. I still get butterflies in my stomach before I walk the ramp,quot; says she.

Anna has seen the face of fashion change over the years. In the 8217;70s most of the shows were held by textile mills and not designers. quot;We were showing fabrics not garments. Mostly, shows were held in auditoriums and the audience were largely dealers. Before the show, the fabric would be on display in a different room. We were really the entertainment. So, it was not just straight walking, there was lots of dancing. It was more of a tamasha,quot; says Anna.

In the 8217;80s, fashion become more about sashaying down the ramp than dancing to film music. A change that thrilled Anna. quot;Dancing was the bane of my life. I rememberSangeeta Chopra standing behind me, shouting, telling me to dance,quot; says she. When Anna first took to the ramp, rehearsals started 10 days before a show. quot;My cue sheet used to look like a thesis. It would say four steps to the right, one to the left, then go diagonal8217;. It was very hard work,quot; says she.

With the first Ensemble and Glitterati shows, the winds of change swept through the industry. quot;Models began to really show garments. I preferred that,quot; she says. What Anna did not like was the shift in attitude that crept in. quot;Models became unprofessional. Earlier, we used to work hard and were paid very little. Now, models get good money but feel that they are doing the designer a favour,quot; she says. But Anna is pleased that glamour is getting its due. quot;When I was a second runner-up in the Miss Asia contest, no one even knew about it. Now a Miss India gets instant celebrity status. And why not? They have achieved something,quot; says she.

Just as she has. Anna has shown the way for mature models to make acomeback to the catwalk. Says she, quot;Designers have realised that their clothes have to appeal to the client. And if a skinny teenager is wearing them, the customer may think, Well it looks good on her but it may not suit me8217;.quot; That suits designers just fine. They have found the perfect display for their designs: their favourite model, Anna.