The captaincy of the style ship is handed over to the choreographer on the day of fittings. Lots of things happen on this busy day. The flow chart is as follows: The model line-up is sorted out. Usually there are two sets of models so that they can alternate on the ramp. This makes changing easy and facilitates sequences. Model availability sorted out, choreographer Meetu Soni (from Delhi-based Meetu & Meenu) checks out all the clothes, designer-wise. She then decides the order of the clothes. “It depends on colour palette, silhouettes etc,” explains Meetu. Then which model wears which garment is looked into. This depends on the “colour and height” of the models and also their “popularity and strength”. The models then try their garments. Swapping is common at this stage. Since the model’s measurements are given to the designers in advance, alterations are rare. “If everything fails, then alteration is the last option,” says Meetu. Though music and sets and ambience are usually worked out some other day, when the choreographer comes in from another city, like Meenu has for Marriage N Vogue, it has to be fitted in with the fittings.

Choreographers are usually stressed. Music, sets, ramp… When the groundwork is done, there are models and there are designers. And then there are fittings. Who’s wearing what and when. Then there is the rehearsal that decides entries, exits and sequence. The list goes on and on…. Till, of course, a catfight breaks out and there begins a choreographer’s worst nightmare!

Here is Marriage N Vogue choreographer Meetu’s (wearing black in picture right) pet peeve list:

Food and beverages are NOT allowed when a model is wearing a designer’s outfit. “Once a top model spoilt a white chikankari sari by Payal Jain when she spilt wine,” said Meetu. What happened then? Well, the model paid for the sari!

You have to carry shoes for fittings. “There are six basic pairs every girl has to carry — clear, skin, black, tan, gold and silver.”

Hair has to be clean and tied up. “Unruly hair interferes with fittings.”

Basic hygiene has to be maintained. “We work so closely, it is difficult to deal with body odour!”

Wrong underwear is wrong. Bras need to be skin colour and thongs are a must.

After spending quality time at a fittings session, here is what t2 learnt:

Models live on tea and coffee. Artificial sweetener, of course!

Heels go off when designers can’t increase the length of the garment by adding a layer.

Models are not the ultimate style icons. They wear regular PLU clothes in fittings.

They also make fashion faux pas. This one hottie wore his pants the wrong way!

Models get 30 seconds per change. If it’s a sari then it is 90 seconds max. Whew!

Shradha Agarwal
Pictures by Pabitra Das

Gauhar Khan’s survival strategy during the fittings

First, I make sure that there are no men around!

Next, I keep a close eye on the door, just to make sure! People just keep walking in during fittings.

I make sure that my clothes fit me well. I also check out the clothes closely to make sure the zippers and everything is perfect, just to be extra safe. These days, people make a mountain out of a molehill!

I get my shoes in order. With experience, modelling gets easier. Now it takes me barely a look at the outfit and I know what shoes will go. Basically, once you know your job, life gets simpler.

I love my tea but these days, I am fasting for Roza and will eat after 6.45pm. Since I have been doing it for so many years, fasting doesn’t make any difference to me. I am quite used to it now so there, I’m not low on energy.

Usually, fittings are a blast for us friends. Diandra (Soares) and I can’t stop playing games. We love the card game Uno and Charades.

I also love this game that I have invented — I do some famous Bollywood steps and everyone has to guess which song and film it is!

I stay away from a book. It is bound to bore me and put me to sleep.

Basically, we entertain ourselves quite well at the fittings!