ELLE Cover Star: Lakshmi Menon, Ahead Of Her Time

Enveloped in a foliage of rich coconut trees and a refreshing AQI, I see supermodel Lakshmi Menon at her relaxed best—the white of her shirt serving as an anchoring feature on a canvas of green and blue. Adjacent to her on the Zoom window is ELLE’s current ‘Model Of The Season’ Mahieka Sharma, who dials in from Delhi, exuding a calming energy of her own. A fun conversation is about to ensue as I press record.

Sharma, evidently inquisitive, kicks off the conversation. “I love that ELLE cover (September, 2013) of yours where you rocked a crew cut,” she says. “It’s just hair—it grows back. It wasn’t a big deal,” Menon responds. “Trends are overrated. I only believe in style. I’ve built my wardrobe with pieces I can wear for decades,” she adds, sharing how her Yohji Yamamoto trousers, bought with her first big paycheck, still hold a place in her closet today. “Can't get more f*cking vintage than that.” 

There’s some talk about a ‘90s Alaïa bodysuit which is Menon’s winter favourite and a Narciso Rodriguez gown being one of her treasured splurges. An archival Martin Margiela dress stands out, as does her palpable admiration for the genius of Dries van Noten. “I also love jewellery. I'm a good Indian woman that way. I love my gold. I love my stones. And I don't apologise about them,” she smiles. She then expresses her delight over what India’s younger crew is doing, especially 11.11/eleven eleven clothing. The fact that India’s fashion youth are more aware of wastage and suffer from climate anxiety reinstates her faith in the future of Indian fashion. 

Eager to probe deeper into the ‘conformity’ debate in the modelling industry, Sharma expresses her doubts which are swiftly met with poised morale on Menon’s part. She calls that pressure, a trap. A dormancy better left unentertained. A philosophy that bleeds into the very importance of saying ‘NO’ in the industry. She shares, “I’ve said no to plenty of shoots and shows. I started communicating with my agent Caroline right from the get-go. And remember, your boundaries keep getting redrawn depending on where you are, at that point in your life.” Her sharp commentary on the matter extends to her concerns plaguing the circuit these days. “Most models think that agents are doing them a favour. I'm sorry. It's the other way round. You're the talent. You're the one who's bringing in the money. So you have the right to say no at any given point of time,” she opines strongly.

Her trademark wit and disinclination towards being pigeonholed is enveloped in refreshing wisdom. And self-awareness? Off the charts. Sharma chimes in with a question surrounding rejection being touted as a grade A peril of the job. “Rejection is the name of the game here–it’s what toughens you up. One season, you're in, next season, you're out. Some models come and do everything in say, two or three seasons leaving everyone fatigued by them. You’ve got to learn the power of absence. People should miss you. Mystery is key,” Menon weighs in, leaving me and Sharma deliciously impressed. Peril or prospect, now you decide. 

“I am curious about how you stay fit,” Sharma says as the dialogue switches from fashion to fitness and yoga, something Menon refers to as a ‘sacred space.’ For her, it’s about fitness for the soul, not fitting into some Instagrammable body standard. “It's not just about the asanas—it’s about how my body moves, coupled with how I want it to move. And how much I’m willing to exert to get into that exact pose. I do Iyengar yoga four to five days a week,” she says. 

Menon’s interests are wide-ranging and eclectic. Books you haven’t heard of, movies probably watched by those with functioning Letterboxd accounts. “Educate yourself, girls,” she says. “Fashion borrows from pretty much everything–street life, art, music, literature. And you have to, as a model, open that space out for yourself. You need to understand what this creative process is and bring your inputs to the table,” she chimes in with a worldly sense of discernment.

Music is discussed, and Menon gushes about seeing Leonard Cohen live at the Radio City Music Hall. She also harbours a deep yearning to witness the band Radiohead perform live, which is met by an expeditious nod from my end.

I transition from the role of observer to interviewer for a brief bit, as a couple questions scribbled on my notepad beckon answers. What does Menon think about Bollywood celebrities turning showstoppers? Her characteristic sass shines through as she responds, “I have a very simple theory. Everyone should just stick to their craft.”

Entering Bollywood was never really on the cards for the supermodel, as she expresses flagrant disapproval over their ‘Aap item number karenge?’ line of interrogation. “Like, no f*cking way. Whatever you choose to do, it also has to nurture you and nourish your soul. Even in fashion, there are shows you do for visibility, and there are some you do for money. You have to strike a balance between art and commerce.”

For those unaware, Menon first made her appearance on the international circuit with Jean Paul Gaultier in 2006. And for bringing her this amazing apple tart she fondly remembers. Looking back, she shares, “I was Gaultier’s fit model, believe it or not. I would stand there for hours with him. And then immediately after that, he cast me for Hermès when he took over the creative directorship of the house after Martin Margiela. The Hermès campaign sort of set the ball rolling for me, and I've not looked back since.”

There’s also a keen sense of appreciation for Matthieu Blazy’s appointment at Chanel, someone she’d like to work with, in the future. Other favourites include Haider Ackermann and Tom Ford, both gentlemen.

Separating controversy and fashion with all the tenacity present in this plane of existence will forever be seen as a feeble attempt at controlling the untameable. Enter Menon’s Pirelli Calendar stint–splashed on every f*cking newspaper with the headline ‘Indian model takes her clothes off for Pirelli.’ “Of course, the Indian press needs something to sensationalise,” she says, sounding so done with it all. The nepo baby conversation also picks up speed simultaneously and she adds that she’s keen on those who have something interesting to say. “If it's just a person who doesn't inspire you and only looks good–for me, it just kind of falls flat. Ultimately, it's not just your eyes, it's also your ears. It's your mouth. Amongst the nepo babies, the one that is quite funny and sweet is Amelia Gray,” she states.

Models Imaan Hammam and Mona Tougaard stand out from the new crop for her personally, and when it comes to the OGs, Karen Elson, Liya Kebede, Amber Valletta and Liisa Winkler are amongst her favourites–all women embracing their lives versus being petrified of ageing. Certain names are discussed, eyerolls erupt and insider tea is spilled. But that’s just for me, Sharma and our Bookings Editor Rishith (also present on the call), to discourse about later.

As the interview draws to a close, Menon appears even more poised, with an unshakable faith in herself.  Sharma and Menon, both army kids, found ample common ground on their similar upbringings—with piercing yet considerate advice from the latter. Menon caps the interview by dropping a truth bomb, “If someone has had a long career, it’s because they're able to stay true to themselves. That really is the standout quality in a business which is full of artifice.” Period. 

Read the full story in the new issue of ELLE India.

ELLE India Editor: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Photographer: Tenzing Dakpa; Fashion Director: Zoha Castelino; Asst. Art Director and Cover Design: Alekha Chugani; Bookings Editor: Rishith Shetty; HMUA: Mitesh Rajani; Interview by: Mahieka Sharma; Written by: Ipsita Kaul; Assisted by: Louise Tavora (Styling); Production: Dilip Borkar; Location Courtesy: The Sawantwadi Palace