Supermodel Confessions with Lakshmi Menon

Text by Wyanet Vaz. Photograph by Tarun Vishwa

What does her weighing scale look like? Does she have fashion disasters? What’s on her cheat-list? Take a closer look into the glamorous life of a supermodel

What does it take to be your BFF?
“I look for kindness in people. It helps a lot. They may be different on the outside, but if you strip them of all of that, and if they have a good soul, you’ll know it. There is no other criteria for me.”

Your diet consists of…
“I eat everything! I’m thankful for good metabolism. I eat everything from chocolates to cheese, and drink wine.”

On your cheat-list:
“It’s basically mood-driven. But I am extremely fond of hot crispy jalebis with ice-cream, and dark chocolate.”

How much do you weigh?
“I don’t know, I don’t own a weighing scale!”

Challenges in your profession:
“The only thing that ticks me off is travel. Like the two sides of the same coin, travels take me to work, but away from home.”

Fashion forecast…
“It’s going to be a decade of more diversity. It’s cool to see how everything is getting mixed up. It’s time we explore this variety.”

A beauty crime you commit…
“Smoking. I need to break that habit.”

In your wardrobe…
“I own a lot of of my mother’s vintage saris. In fact, I have friends who give me their mothers’ saris too.”

Fashion disaster:
“I made huge fashion bloopers in my teenage years. It was the weird ’80s phase and I used to wear boxy shirts. I look at my childhood pictures and cringe.”

Beauty essentials:
“I don’t own any foundation or concealer. I use creamy eye shadow sticks from Nars. I pick up my lipsticks from Bite Beauty, but my favourite is M.A.C’s Ruby Woo.”

An evergreen fragrance…
“Le Labo’s Rose 31.”

On your workout-list…
“I run, swim and visit the gym once a week. I also do a lot of pilates. I’m not so much into yoga, but I hope to give it a shot someday.”

Post-modelling plans…
“I’d like to retire and become a farmer.”

Happy hours include…
“I love taking Polaroids. I used to have a SX 70. I had no choice but to do away with it, because there was no film available. I like sticking pictures of my travels.”

Fashion advice…
“Never invest in a trend. Always invest in a wardrobe. You must have your classics — beautiful tailored pants, blue jeans (a faded and dark one, skinny and boyfriend fit). Always own a nice pair of pumps, a good blazer, t-shirts, and you must wear your saris.”

(To read more, grab a copy of Verve‘s May 2016 issue.)

Go behind the scenes with our cover girl here: