Malayali models In Vogue?

KOCHI: It is time to wake up dear Kochiites. Turn and look around you, one can notice that our commercial hub is indeed treading up the ladder of fashion. Recently the city has been playing host to different fashion shows and beauty pageants which is in fact changing the nature of socialising culture. DJ parties are becoming venues for fashion bashes with international models and supermodels hopping in. With so much happening in the fashion industry, where do the Kerala models stand in this glamour race? Traditionally, Kerala girls have been slow to take to the ramp.City Express spoke to a cross-section of Malayali models and others from the fashion fraternity to check out the Kochi scene.“The quality of Kerala models has gone up but their number is still scanty. It could be because Malayalis still give more priority to education and for them modelling is not a career option but a pass time,” says Kerala’s ace fashion designer Hari Anand. And facts clearly show that very few Malayali models from the state have managed to make a presence nationally. Another reason why Kerala models have not been on the forefront is because they  do not take it seriously.“Malayali models only have a brief stint with modelling. If a person wins a beauty pageant, then that is it. They won’t think about the next step like entering into mainstream modelling and the like,” says Hari Anand. The more ambitious of them immediately move to films. “Asin Thottumkal and Rima Kallingal all were models first but later ended in films,” says Hari Anand.According to Nibu Joseph, an upcoming Malayali model who rose to fame with the recent Lakme Fashion Week says, “Kerala has some way to go before making an impact on the national fashion scene. There is huge potential for models in Kerala as we also have the same kind of physique and looks that is needed for modelling but the one thing that we lack is confidence. Our models still feel they are less fairer and do not have good body. I think we are as good as any North-Indian model but we should have the right attitude and determination.”Amalda Liz Joseph, a model who has come from Wayanad and made it big says that, “Kerala models do not think of modelling as a permanent career. Even if they are passionate, most stick in the comfort zone of Kerala. But here one does not get that much opportunity compared to Mumbai and Delhi.” She herself entered modelling only after completing her engineering. She has been part of the Jaipur Fashion Week, Kochi International Fashion Week and has walked the ramp for designers like Sanjana John, Lawman, Julies, Hari Anand, Mona Poli and Archana Kochhar. She was also model for Linen Burgoyne, Fabindia and many more.Nibu Joseph also says that compared to male models in Kerala, female models are getting more opportunity. “In Kerala, we get two modelling assignments in a month at the most, but in metros at least 15 to 20 projects will await us. Even designers for mens wear are less in number,” says Nibu George. Shefin Haneef, another model from Kochi says that there is considerable rise in the number of Kerala models coming to the industry. But if a model wants to make it big, he/she should venture out of the state. “Even though we have good models here, the advertising companies and other corporates prefer Mumbai models. They feel models from up North are more professional,” says Shefin. Another interesting thing to note is that often  Malayali models who are sidelined in Kerala, make the cut when they go to the metros, says Shefin.Still, the Malayali models and designers are happy with the fact that the fashion scene for them in Kochi is gradually changing. It is becoming more open to fashion shows and fashion trends. “Fashion is one of the biggest industries like IT. More people are buying designer wears and branded lines now. We should have more vocational training institutes which can give training for stitching, cutting, embroidery works and the like. We should also have fashion journalists in the state as they are the bridging factor between fashion and common man,” adds Anand.