Learn the ropes of the ramp

Model Alesia Raut gives aspiring models a sneak peek into the world of fashion

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Model Alesia Raut was a skinny teenager who was awkward about her height. At five ft 10 inches, she would tower above most kids her age. Her mother knew her height could be put to good use in the world of modelling. And so, Raut hit the ramp at the age of 17.

“I was short on confidence because of my height and the fact that I was skinny. And since that was the kind of requirement in the industry, it worked for me. Modelling gave me independence. I was an introvert; it changed me. It helped me evolve as a person,” says the model, who has been part of the fashion industry for 18 years now.

One step at a time

R aut is also an instructor now. She’s been teaching aspirants and upcoming models the art of ramp walking. “In 2009, Marc Robinson asked me to help train a few participants for a beauty pageant, and that’s how I got into it. I just love teaching and helping people learn,” she adds. As part of Zoelle’s Fashion Model Boot Camp, Raut will be in the city, training girls aged 16 and above. “The only criterion is that they should be five ft seven inches and above,” says the 35-year-old.

“The most common mistake I see in beginners is that they slouch. The upper body posture is an issue. Also, walking in heels does not come easily to them, because in India we aren’t used to walking around in stilettos everyday,” says Raut.

When she started out as a model, the walk came fairly easily to her, as she used to dance and had a sense of rhythm. “What I wasn’t getting was my style. That came after a few shows,” she says. At the two-day session here, the model, along with her sister Anjali Raut, will teach participants to first walk in flats; basic footwork; to walk in a line; spot training; mock rounds; how to drape a sari; how to hold a lehenga, sari or gown and a sneak peek of how fittings and shows run...

“Footwork is important. If you know what to do with your feet, the upper body poise is easy. You’ll get the attitude once your basics are right.” There are many components to being a ramp model — it’s important to follow directions of walking, know how to execute a garment and understand the choreographer’s language, she says.

Raut doesn’t deny it’s a short-lived career, and says it’s good to have a Plan B. What she likes about the profession is that there’s something new to learn every day.

“What we earn from a day’s show could be someone’s entire month’s salary,” she says. While there is a steady stream of newcomers coming into the field, she says some of them do just one show and then think they know it all. “It’s important to be grounded. I tell the youngsters, ‘Be a diva on the ramp, not off it’.”

(The workshop will be held on May 18 and 19 at the Taj Coromandel. For information, write to info@zoelle.in)