It was in the year 2019, during the FDCI organised Fashion Week in the capital, that Avanti Nagrath caught everyone's attention. She was walking the ramp for the designer duo Pankaj & Nidhi. There was something very striking about this lissome beauty that couldn't go unnoticed among the slew of supermodels strutting the ramp. Soon she became a favourite among all the leading designers in the country. And now, Avanti Nagrath is scorching the international runway. She has become the first Indian model to have got a chance to open the Versace show at Milan Fashion Week. The model who opens the show is usually the one who leads the lineup, and for Avanti to do it in the same show where supermodels including Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski also walked the ramp is huge. In an exclusive chat with ETimes, The Times Of India, Avanti talks about the whole experience of walking on such a huge platform.
Avanti calls this whole thing a dream come true. "The feeling hasn't sunk in yet and I don't think it will, ever," she said.
The model was in absolute startlement when she got to know that she would be opening the show. "I always go by the rule of 'not expecting too much' It was a total shock to me when I was told I would be the one opening the show. To be honest, I don’t have the answer to how it happened… it just did, and I’m so grateful for it," she added.
Avanti also couldn't stop gushing over Donatella Versace, "She’s an absolute gem. A true inspiration. Even though she’s an icon she is extremely sweet and humble. A legend," she said.
Avanti is working with a leading modelling agency based in Mumbai and we reached out to Scouting Expert, Ava Alloo, to share her excitement about Avanti's feat. "It seems like a flash! Milan 2022 is her first ever fashion week and she has been blessed to open the show for such an iconic brand. It's a taken a moment to sink in for us too. The journey took tremendous faith and patience and she has shown so much character. She truly deserves this moment of glory," she said.
"The business of fashion reflects an on-ground change -a true era of diversity! Especially in an age where India's influence in the world transcends beyond fashion. We have two dominant factors that compliment each other , owing to which Indian models will soar to heights unexplored which seemed beyond reach before," she further added.
Interestingly, Avanti is related to popular Designer, textile conservationist and a NIFT National Awardee, Pranavi Kapur, who is so proud of the young lady's achievements. "She's family and I am honoured to be related to her. The cool and composed Avanti is living her fantasy and we can't be more proud of her feat," said Kapur.
"It's very humbling for all of us because that's our DNA. She will always be 'Princess Nagrath' for us," added Kapur.
Also read: Meet Avanti Nagrath, the first Indian model who opens Versace show at Milan Fashion Week
