LAKSHMI MENON - FAMOUS INDIAN MODEL

Lakshmi menon is an Indian fashion model. She was born on November 4,1981 in Bangalore. Her parents are from Kerala, and father a military person. She took up modelling to earn money while studying for a degree in sociology at the Bangalore University. She did modelling in India for several years. She began her international career in 2006. A show for Jean Paul Gaultier was followed by work on the Hermès catwalk, the Hermès advertising campaign, and campaigns for Max Mara and for Givenchy.

She had natural dark complexion, which is not welcomed in Indian modeling scene. Much to her surprise, she was approached in 1998 by model agent Anila Anand and invited to Paris. But, she opted for Bangalore University, because she didn't want to go against the wishes of her parents.

After graduating, Lakshmi Menon felt the lure of modeling or, more specifically, the money. After resuming contact with Anila Anand, Menon entered the professional circuit and modeled a series of 2007 Swatch ads that accentuated her inviting eyes, glowing skin and their fine jewelry. In the fall, she joined Gemma Ward and four Bollywood actresses on the cover of the first-ever Indian edition of Vogue. A runway appearance for Hermes led to her becoming its face in 2008.

After that there was no looking back for Lakshmi Menon as her carrier hit new hights. Color never become a issue for her. A contract with Ford Models in 2008 was turning point and it brought her new magazine covers -like -- for L'Officiel (India) in March and a bikini-clad cover for Vogue (India) in April. It also made her the first Indian model to earn a solo cover for the magazine.

 Lakshmi menon in style

After that she did shows for Stella McCartney, Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gaultier. While these were positive developments, Menon had been invisible to much of the industry until this point, except to Givenchy's Ricardo Tisci who hand-picked her to open his fall couture show in Paris That’s when her dark look became "in." Givenchy photos followed with Lara Stone and Kirsten Owen, and she would later close the Ohne Titel spring show during New York Fashion Week (her debut appearance!) and walk the runway for Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Michael Kors.

Lakshmi was featured in French Vogue editorial for the first time in Oct, 2008, after her Milan show for La Perla, in which she walked for D&G and Givenchy. She was also the “This year’s Model” crown awarded by Vogue for 2008. She was also in the Top 10 Newcomers by Style.com. She was also in the cover of Elle, the same year.
She has proved that dark skin doesn’t prevent one from gaining new heights in modeling. She continued her success, with a contract with Givenchy and appeared on the covers of Dazed and Confused(UK) and was in the Vogue French calendar.
Lucie Greene of the Daily Mail has predicted that she would attain Supermodel status. Indian photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta says of Menon that “She’s dusky, flawless and the true face of beauty. She’s worked with Jean Paul Gaultier, Hermes, Chanel -- and is the face of the future.” Vogue said in 2008 that she was "quite the embodiment of Givenchy's new-season style". She was in the 2008’s top ten by New York Magazine.

She appeared the New York Fashion Week and Ohne Titel show. She also walked for Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, and Vera Wang.
She is down to earth and doesn’t throw tantrums as other models do. She says,” The reason I got noticed was my groundedness and my ability to see it just as work and not get carried away by the glitz and the glamour of it all. A lot of people did comment that I was unlike any model that they had met... I didn't dress like one, talk like one or party like one. I have a life and modelling happens to be the work that I do."
But how do you define success? "Success is always a combination of talent, hard work and good fortune. I would like to believe that I am blessed with a fair portion of all three! I did not style or groom myself any differently for the global market."

The turning point in her life was when she was signed as the face of Hermes. "That's when I started getting noticed by Western designers and magazines. Again, I was lucky there because they were doing an Indiainspired collection and I fit right in."

Being dusky-skinned does get her clichéd comments, she says, especially in India. "The idea of dark skin has always had a stigma attached to it, despite the current political correctness about it. I don't think my success in the international arena is about to change that. I'll believe it when I see a mainstream beauty campaign using a dark skinned girl... that'll be a change! Now, with Barrack Obama as president, maybe there is hope."

Laxmi Menon, another malayalee to be proud off.

She appeared in the Covers of:

• Wish Magazine

Wish August 2009 Cover

• Vogue India

Vogue India May 2009 Cover

• Dazed & Confused

Dazed And Confused April 2009 Cover

• Elle India

Elle India November 2008 Cover

She has worked for

• MaxMara
• Givenchy
• H&M
• Hermes