Indian model, from a small town, all set to walk the international runway
Here's a fairytale without a Bollywood spin. A girl from Sangaria, a city in Hanumangarh district of north Rajasthan is readying to walk international fashion runways the way her idol Kate Moss does.
It's an unusual story because the last time an Indian model was picked for the job was in 2013 when Bhumika Arora, who after being selected during Lakmé Fashion Week model auditions, went on to walk runways for the likes of Dries van Noten, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and Balmain. This is the first time, though, that global talent management firm IMG Models arrived here to find a face, and Kiyara was their choice.
The 18-year-old, who prefers not to share her last name, first saw a model walk the ramp when she switched on FTV at the age of six. "I'd rush home after school, lock the door and watch the channel. My parents had no idea I wanted to be a model until I was 17," she says in a telephonic interview from Jaipur.
The after-class escapades have paid off. Kiyara, winner of the Lakmé Fashion Week model auditions held last month in Mumbai and Bengaluru, was also chosen by IMG Models as the New Global Face from India from a pool of 300 aspirants. The two-year contract enables global representation in Paris, Milan, New York, London and Sydney.
Oddly, before the big announcement, she was rejected for two modelling assignments in India because they found her too tall at 5'11. "I was told I was not traditional or feminine enough. My height and bust size was proving to be a problem."
IMG Models was looking for someone who'd be more than just a sexy ramp walker. Scouting and development representative Luis Domingo says, "We were looking for a girl with an interesting personality and hence, we ensured that we not only judged them basis their catwalks, but also spent ample time speaking to them and gauging their personas."
Kiyara's commitment and fire seems to have shone through. When she was in Std. 9, she decided to change her name and call herself Kiyara. "You have one life. Why shouldn't you be allowed to choose your own name?" she asks. "Although my parents support my decision [to be a model], they are concerned about their social standing. I have to keep my identity under wraps," she says, explaining why she dropped her second name. Ironically, she has chosen a life that doesn't allow her to stay in the shadows. "Once I make a name for myself, I will be more comfortable sharing details," she says with a hint of hope.
When she sat her parents down to tell them of her dream, they said, "we'll think about it". Tired of waiting for them to make up their mind, she decided to take the plunge and participate in the contest.
Interestingly, working in Bollywood doesn't feature on her wish list. Another trait that has her stand apart.
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