They make for a picture-perfect duo. Both young, both successful and both extremely attractive ? sisters Nicola and Jessica Gomes are among the most easily recognised faces on Calcutta’s modelling scene.

For the last few years, the pretty Nicola has been spotted strutting her stuff in almost all the major shows ? be it Lakm?, L’Oreal, Tanishq, NIFT, Provogue and also for hotshot designers like Rocky S, Manoviraj Khosla and Monapali. Since last year, however, she’s also channelised her considerable experience into setting up an event management company, Cynosure, with husband and fellow model, Arijit Das. She has choreographed several prestigious events under her banner, including the Blender’s Pride Fashion Nights, Blackberrys, the Davidoff perfume launch and the MTV Fling Night besides anchoring other shows. That apart, Nicola has also taken grooming classes at J.D. Birla and is a teacher at GIFT (Global Institute Of Fashion Technology), where she teaches aspiring models the finer points of modelling, catwalk, poise and make-up.

With an elder sister already into modelling ? and successfully at that ? it was natural that Jessica Gomes also walked straight onto the ramp. She started out by participating in beauty contests like Miss Young Calcutta, Lake Club May Queen and Look of the Year, and was soon spotted by Rampedge, for their shows. Since then, the 25-year-old Jessica has gone from strength to strength. Primarily a ramp model, she’s done shows for Satya Paul, Blender’s Pride and Kingfisher among others. In addition, she has also done print campaigns for The Hyatt Regency and The Oberoi Grand. With studies always figuring right up there in her scheme of things, she’s even found time for a 10-month stint at La Martiniere Boys’ School, teaching geography. Since then, though she’s given it up to pursue a B. Ed. degree from St. Xavier’s while continuing modelling on the side.

Nicola:

Growing up, there were six of us ? three sisters and three brothers, and though all of us were very close, I was more attached to my younger sister, Geraldine. She and I would team up in all our pranks and adventures, and as a result, Jessica would often be left without a partner in crime. Jessica’s always been closer to our brothers, but then, as sisters, we’d do everything together ? go to church, go shopping and even party together. In fact, Jessica and I went to the same school and college and even joined the same profession, which is why I miss her so much now that I’m married and busy with my school.

When I joined modelling, I was very na?ve and to be honest, pretty lost in the beginning. When Jessica joined the same agency, I felt more secure and confident. I knew that if I decided to stand up and revolt against something I wasn’t comfortable with, I had someone to back me.

When it comes to our work, there’s never been the slightest bit of rivalry between Jessica and me. We know just where we stand and never try to encroach on each other’s territory ? we’d never argue about what to wear at a show or who’d go on to the ramp first. The only things we argue about are the silly little ones ? ‘Use your own lipstick’ or ‘Don’t take my mascara’. Of course, there have been people who try to compare and create a rift between us ? but to no avail. What they don’t realise is that at the end of the day, blood is always thicker than water.

What I really admire about Jessica is that she’s so disciplined and hardworking, she’s like the mother in the house. When I’d go out to party and come home really late, I’d think twice before ringing the doorbell because she’d give me such a dirty look! The problem is that at times she becomes this control freak, wanting everything done just the way she likes it. I’m a pretty flexible person as such, but during these times, I do get mad, though I often let it pass. Also, now that she’s all caught up with her teacher’s training, she got a bit boring ? she doesn’t like to come out and party as much as before and I miss those good times when we’d hang out together all the time.

But all said, I love Jessica’s confidence, her ability to take decisions, her strength as an individual, and of course, her incredible energy. She’s on the move from dawn to late night as though she’s some kind of superwoman. It’s extremely inspirational and motivating to me. She could be a role model to a lot of the other models out there ? she’s the perfect example of how to lead a steady life and balance several things at the same time ? and all very well.

I love having Jessica for my sister ? the bonding, the closeness and the sharing of secrets. We have this great understanding ? when our parents went to Delhi for some time, we’d be the ones running the home and taking care of our younger siblings ? and believe me, we worked like the perfect team. Otherwise nature-wise we’re quite the contrasts. She’s a go-getter, I tend to procrastinate. She listens to her head, I listen to my heart ? but in the end, it all works for us.

Jessica:

Nicola’s always been someone I’ve looked up to, ever since I was a child. When she started out modelling, there were very few people out there who had her height ? she’s 5’9” by the way ? and her looks, though to be completely honest, she hasn’t explored her potential to the fullest. I still get angry with her because she didn’t try her luck in Mumbai ? but then that’s the way Nicola is, laid-back to the point of being lazy sometimes. I feel that she takes things very lightly, but whenever I try to give her advice, she always brushes it off.

In that sense, though she’s a couple of years older, I’ve always felt like Nicola’s older sister. Growing up, I was the second oldest and Nicola and I were always ready to fight at the drop of a hat. She was closer to my younger sister and in any case, as far as they were concerned, I was the serious one ? Nicola was far more chilled out. That said, she was also the intelligent one, she’d always get a first class without much effort, while I was the hard-working sister.

But fights or no fights, Nicola has always been protective about me. She never showed it, but she’d always be there for me, whether it was with advice about an assignment or just guiding me in my career. It helped that she had taken up modelling earlier, and when I decided to pursue it as well, she encouraged me every step of the way.

Even now that Nicola’s married, we’re as close as ever. She stays in the building opposite ours and we stand on our respective terraces, and chat for hours about everything under the sun. Otherwise I just drop into her place for some great food ? she’s an amazing cook and I can always twist her arm into making me something special.

We share a lot of interests. Nicola and I both love reading and cooking and our best times are spent at home with family. Nicola’s very creative as well, and whenever I want to get a salwar-kameez made, she’s the one I turn to to help me out with the design. She’s good enough to take up designing as a career, but like so many other things, she doesn’t take it seriously enough.

This pet peeve of mine aside, as a sister, Nicola is the best. She’ll go out of her way to make her loved ones feel special. I remember when I started teaching, Nicola had gone to Delhi about the same time. I didn’t ask her to get back anything for me, but she remembered I needed salwar-suits for work, and had very few of them. So, she picked up some really pretty ones and got them back for me, much to my surprise. That’s how thoughtful and caring she always is.

Photograph by Rashbehari Das