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The Indian runway may be flush with foreign faces, but models
from the country's own northeastern region say their talent is yet
to be acknowledged.
"India is yet to recognise our talent," Akuonuo Khezi, who is
from Nagaland and participated in the 'New Faces Going Places'
audition for the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) in
September, told IANS.
Khezi and Ethiel Konyak - also from Nagaland - were the only two
girls to audition from the northeast and neither could make it.
However, three international faces are among the 18 models who have
made it to the final round of the contest.
"Nowadays we can see international models walking the runway but
there are hardly any northeastern models on the ramp. We are
Indians and we deserve more than international models," said Ethiel
Konyak, the only other participant.
They say at times they are treated differently.
"Whenever I go for audition, people ask me which country I have
come from. They think I am either from Japan or China. That is
funny!" said a visibly disturbed Akuonuo, who had made it to the
top 25 in the Femina Miss India 2007 contest.
"When I started my modelling career, it was weird. Nobody says
anything directly but I felt that others were talking behind my
back. However, with time I got used to it," said Ethiel who gets to
do around five shows on the ramp every month.
One factor that prevents more northeastern aspirants from taking up
modelling as a career option is the lack of model hunt contests in
their region which in turn is due to the lack of sponsorship.
Said Sushma Puri, director and chief executive officer, Elite Model
Management: "Most model-scouting events are sponsored. And it is
strange that for the northeast region we have no sponsor.
"There's loads of latent talent in the region, which has not
caught the eye of people."
However, not everyone believes that looks prove to be a hurdle for
aspiring models from the northeast.
Ila Kumar Valia, business head, Shoot Talent Management, said, "We
hardly get enquiries. This year we have got five to seven entries.
There is so much untapped potential and a huge market for them, but
not many of them come up."
"It's true that they cannot carry the look of a typical Indian
bride or a Punjabi girl. But these days a number of designers roll
out Western collections and northeastern girls have a great body
and height to sport them. I think it is just a matter of time
before they become ramp scorchers," Valia told IANS.
Indo-Asian News Service
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