Crash Course

Bulk fashion weeks might mean more work,however,both the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Fashion Foundation of India (FFI),organisers of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week and Delhi Fashion Week respectively get a discount of 30 percent from models for a minimum of a 10-show guarantee. Models are divided into four grades and are paid anything between Rs 5,000-35,000 per show. So even though the weeks mean more work and better exposure,the income generated doesn’t amount to much. In fact,several top models are now choosing to work with individual designers at their own rates rather than taking up bulk assignments. “Earlier corporate shows and solo designer shoots made up for the discounts one gave during the fashion weeks. But since those shows have gone completely off the radar,it’s not something that we can afford to do anymore,” says Delhi-based model Amanpreet Wahi.

The scene is no better for those who are focusing on print assignments rather than the ramp. Garima Parnami,24,who has done various international fashion magazine covers as well as print campaigns for leading designers says the slowdown is very evident. “My assignments have gone down by as much as 25 percent. Even those clients who are planning fresh print campaigns are working on a tighter budget and expect you to cut prices too,” she says.

Most models are now looking at alternative careers to keep the money coming in. “It’s a transition that most of us look at later in our careers. Now we are having to do it sooner,” says Jesse Randhawa,who has recently acted in Gulaal. While Joey Mathew has invested in a music company,several others are looking for avenues in films and television shows. But there are glitches there as well. Last October when UTV World Movies launched a new capsule on contemporary international films,they roped in Wahi to anchor the half-hour programme. “They shut their Delhi office and relocated to Mumbai,and asked me if I would like to continue working from there. It wasn’t feasible for me,” she says.

Models who’re in to television commercials appear to be slightly better off. “Even though there is stiff competition from actors,it’s the one sphere where the bulk of work has not gone down,since advertising is irreplaceable,” says Ankit Mehta,director,Inega Model Management.

The worst hit,though,seems to be the male models. “It’s an industry where women dominate the scene even in the best of times and on an average,the men earn less. December to January are the months when we have the maximum amount of work,but right now there’s almost nothing,” says Sahil Shroff,the face of several television commercials and one of the more successful male models around.