Catwalk Chaos

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">It happened to Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins of Australia during a recent fashion show in Sydney. She was modelling a 7-kg metallic lace dress when the bottom half snagged on her high heels and fell to the catwalk. They might arrive uninvited, but gaffes on the ramp are not exactly an uncommon occurrence.<br /><br />In India too. Like it happened at a recent event in Jaipur, where remix girl Sanobar Kabir''s heavily sequined outfit gave way with the result that a Janet Jackson-like slip occurred. Delhi Times brings you candid recollections from members of the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">desi</span> fash frat who''ve witnessed the Oops Factor.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Bright lights, camera, action</span>: What happens when the spotlights blind you while you''re strutting on the runway? Check out choreographer Harmeet Bajaj and model Ayesha Prem: "The lights were just came on too strongly into the model''s eyes at this particular fashion show. While the idea is to stop at the end of the ramp and walk back, this model didn''t see the end of the ramp because of the lights... she just walked on. After walking in the air for a split second, she found herself in the arms of a man sitting in the front row. And the fall was so heavy that he wasn''t smiling."<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Topsy turvy</span>: Recounts choreographer Vidyun Singh: "This dates back to the time when ‘willpower'' tops were in vogue — they were called so because only willpower could keep the top in place. At this show, a model in a willpower top had already walked halfway down the ramp when she discovered it had already reached her waist. The girl was embarrassed but had the presence of mind to pull up the top and keep walking."<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Over the heel</span>: Model-cum-actress Nethra Raghuraman recounts an embarrassing experience while she was on the runway in really sharp stilettos. "Before I knew what was happening, one of the stilettos flew into the audience and landed right on top of someone''s head. There was no way out; I just had to wait for those dreadful moments for the stiletto to be handed back to me and walk back."<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Backside front</span>: "There was a recent incident of a model walking all the way on the ramp with a dress worn the wrong way. So far so good, but when she started walking back, her butt was obviously visible to the audience. It was only after she came back to the green room that she realised what had happened. Of course, it was too late by then," narrates Harmeet.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">The flip-flop act:</span> "Sometimes, a faux pas can be out of one''s control," says a Mumbai-based model, "Wearing pants and a jacket without a bra, a model friend of mine was doing the catwalk for a show in Delhi. Half way through the ramp, the right side of the jacket lapel flipped... for a good 15 seconds, her right b***s were visible to the 500-odd guests."<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">No strings attached:</span> Model Carol Gracias didn''t know what to do when the Oops Factor hit her. "It was such a shock," she reveals, "I was walking the ramp for a designer show wearing a string top. Suddenly, one of the strings gave way and one side of the top slipped downwards... I managed to catch it in time, just in time."</div> </div>