Not afraid to err

The New York Fashion Week made headlines for various reasons this year — one of them was when model Gigi Hadid walked the runway wearing only one high heel at Anna Sui’s show. The supermodel had gone for a quick change of outfit where her heels were not properly secured. Therefore, when she began walking the runway, she lost one of them. Instead of panicking, Gigi continued walking on her toes, much to everyone’s appreciation. Nicki Minaj, too, had a nip slip at the same event but the rapper immediately adjusted her outfit and was confident throughout. Earlier, at the Lakme Fashion Week, Disha Patani would have suffered a major wardrobe malfunction if Tiger Shroff had not come to her rescue. Alia Bhatt too had an ‘oops’ moment at the India Couture Week, when her underwear was exposed on the reflective surface of the floor.

Many other models have faced similar instances in the past. While most of them handle it with grace, some end up making it awkward on stage. So, are the models trained to handle such situations, or is it just presence of mind that saves the day? Throwing some light on the matter, well-known beauty pageant director and grooming expert, Marc Robinson, says, “Models mostly get only basic training. They learn most of their craft on the job itself and that, over a period of time, leads to experience. Presence of mind and a combination of one’s on-stage confidence, personality and attitude equip them better to handle such situations.”

Naomi Campbell, too, fell off her 8-inch high platform shoes at the Vivienne Westwood show. Experts say that accidents are common on runways and it is all about continuing to walk like nothing has happened. “Accidents happen — models have tripped, crashed into each other. Wardrobe malfunctions happen. We teach our girls to get up and keep walking,” says famous fashion choreographer and consultant, Prasad Bidapa.

However, models need a lot of courage to do so. According to Miss India Andhra Pradesh 2017, Srishti Vyakaranam, one needs to think quickly and stay composed. “It is mere presence of mind that works is what I believe. When something goes wrong on stage, what matters is how you still carry yourself with the same poise. I think every model needs to have that presence of mind,” says Srishti.

However, it is not just presence of mind that works. “We are trained and given instructions on how to handle these situations,” reveals model and actress Krutika Singh Rathore, adding, “In the end, it all depends on the model’s attitude on stage and her confidence and grace.”

Interestingly, some malfunctions are planned in advance too. “Some malfunctions are stage-managed and some are natural accidents. However, both need to be handled with presence of mind, dignity and confidence... Gigi did just that! Her competence is a case study beyond academics. While grooming, we give tips on how to handle these situations, but actually it’s impromptu reactions, which separate the best from the normal,” says model grooming expert, Joseph Sunder.