Diandra Soares has been in the industry for about 15 years but the two times she received maximum attention was when she shaved her head. The first time she took the plunge was 10 years ago, in the middle of a Lakme Fashion Week, and the second time was on January 7, 2010.
“A few months ago, I was explaining to a friend why I had gone bald the first time. It was because I felt that after a certain age, women tend to become insecure about their looks and are very reluctant to experiment. I wanted to feel free, and detached from any material thing. I wanted to feel spiritual and that’s what prompted me to go bald then,” explains Soares.
And it was in the midst of this session that Soares felt the need to relive the experience all over again. And no, she clarifies, she wasn’t drunk, when nirvana hit her.
Soares says that she is still to come to terms with the attention that going bald has gotten her. “I saw a picture of myself on foreign websites, captioned as ‘Bald Indian model opens Fashion Week’ and the like. I’m shocked at the level it has reached now,” she asserts.
Soares also admits that her bald head was the reason many designers wanted to open and close shows with her at the recently-concluded LFW Summer Resort 2010. “Some of them made last minute changes when they saw me. But the team has struck a balance, giving everyone an equal opportunity to open and close shows,” she is quick to add.
{{/usCountry}}Soares also admits that her bald head was the reason many designers wanted to open and close shows with her at the recently-concluded LFW Summer Resort 2010. “Some of them made last minute changes when they saw me. But the team has struck a balance, giving everyone an equal opportunity to open and close shows,” she is quick to add.
{{/usCountry}}Soares says that going bald works best if done to discover a new you, and not to make a statement or grab eyeballs.
Her secret to maintaining a shiny pate is a “rather cheap and chic double shave at Twinkle, a men’s barber shop in Bandra, topped with olive oil. And when I’m running late, I just shave the stubble off with my boyfriend’s razor.”
Famous faces
These models also had some rather distinctive features:
Persis Khambatta played navigator Lieutenant Ilia in Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. She had shaved her head bald for the movie.
Twiggy Lawson was born Lesley Hornby. This English model is famous for her wide eyes, long eyelashes and stick-thin figure.
The original size-zero phenomenon Kate Moss made her waifish figure and pixie-like features the icon of what was known as ‘heroin chic.’
Gisele Bundchen was nicknamed 'Breasts from Brazil' when she made her runway debut. She was often praised for bringing back curves to the runway.
Heidi Klum was the curviest model of her time. Marriage and many babies later, it is still her key feature.
Sex symbol, Anna Nicole Smith, was famous for her full figure.