The Times of India has recently asked the question; With plenty of Indian beauties in the film and television world, why has none achieved sufficient acclaim in the fashion world to be called “super.”

While international super-models hail from countries as far apart and wide-ranging in culture as Brazil, Australia, Germany, US and the Czech Republic, why has there has been no Indian counterpart to Gisele, Elle, Tyra or Petra to rule the ramp with the same grace, confidence and financial success?

Is is a case of too little talent in the current crop of models or could it be a lack of opportunity that short circuits the desi divas’ climb to the top?

When pressed, the elite fashion community finds it difficult to name one Indian supermodel that has achieved that status, though one insider admits that with increased interest in Indian fashion design, there will be uplift in the use of Indian models. “The Indian look is a pleasant contrast to the rangy blond, blue-eyed girls that still populate the largest shows”, says Designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh.

We think it’s mostly a matter of religious and cultural upbringing and attitude. First, there have been many extremely successful Indian models whose beauty rivals or exceeds that of any of the top, known supermodels.

Names like Mrinalini Sharma, Celina Jaitley, and Reshmi Ghosh are either beginning or are well on their way to successful modeling and acting careers, while Aishwarya Rai has achieved super-star status based on her beauty and acting abilities in both Bollywood and Hollywood films.

But according to successful model Nayanika Chatterjee, the reasons are quite clear as to why no true supermodel has emerged:

“You are a product of your attitude. How comfortable a model is doing the catwalk with or without clothes depends entirely on how her value system was shaped in childhood. Remember, in an international modeling assignment your body is nothing more than a commodity to be displayed to the best effect.”

In addition to the physical and mental aspects of runway ability, a supermodel is also defined and recognized by the brands that she represents and the number of magazine covers, layouts she secures. Thus far, few internationally recognized brands have chosen Indian models to be their spokesperson worldwide.

In India, the boundaries between art and tastelessness are quite clear. Nudity is often used to great effect in live fashion shows. Many Indian girls are not willing to participate in this type of creative exercise which can often be a limiting factor in their overall and long-term success.

Has anyone attained the status of Indian super model in your opinion?

This entry was posted on Monday, August 20th, 2007 at 11:48 pm and is filed under Hot Supermodels. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.