Dawn Images

We know it takes designers hours of painstaking work to create the perfect outfit — but how do models prepare for that walk down the catwalk where they'll be showing that very same outfit off?

While models might be blessed with good genes, that doesn't mean they don't work hard to make sure they're ramp ready for fashion week.

Here, we talk to a few models ready to strut their stuff at FPW today, and ask them how much prep time goes into looking perfect for the catwalk.

Nadia Hussain

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Nadia Hussain (NH): During fashion week we're forced to eat whatever the organisers have provided for us. But before fashion week I try to concentrate more on fruits and fresh juices.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

NH: Just plain water!

3) How do you take care of your skin?

NH: I always use good moisturizers and peeling creams to keep my skin glowing.

4) How do you take care of your hair?

NH: I hardly have any hair left after four kids and so much damage done in so many years of modelling! But I use hair serums to keep my hair soft.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

NH: I always exercise so there's not much that I do especially for fashion week.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

NH: Generally designers do want models to be slimmer than usual.

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

NH: For my skin, I always do proper cleansing and facials at my salon. For the hair, I do the L'oreal hair botox treatment to help control damage.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

NH: Exercise generally helps to de-stress.

Rubya Chaudhry

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Rubya Chaudhry (RC): There aren't huge changes in my diet, except cutting down on junk and meetha!

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

RC: Lots of water. And anything fresh and yum. Naryal paani's a regular.

3) How do you take care of your skin?

RC: By keeping it clean and moisturized. I make these essential oil concoctions to apply before bed.

4) How do you take care of your hair?

RC: I avoid heat styling it, back combing means oiling for the next month rigorously, I don't dye it, and I leave it one length. I'm Rekha.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

RC: I work out regularly anyway, so not much changes. Except workouts are usually skipped during show days to catch up on sleep.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

RC: Not really!

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

RC: By getting a facial and oiling the hair. Organic hair masks too. And I rest a lot.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

RC: A great massage post fashion week is an absolute essential.

Shehzad Noor

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Shehzad Noor (SN): I have been on a healthy balanced diet since I started working out. My usual diet doesn't alter during fashion week. It includes eggs, white meat , healthy carbs and a little amount of healthy fat which I can burn.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

SN: Well I'm not at all into anything artificial, I'm mostly into natural fruit juice and water.

3) How do you take care of your skin?

SN: One of the best things about working out is that it gives you good skin. Since I drink lots of water and eat vegetables and white meats without any spices it keeps me detoxified and my skin looks healthy and radiant... that's all!

4) How do you take care of your hair?

SN: Same is the case with hair but I do oil it every alternate day for a few hours.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

SN: I make sure my body is in good shape throughout the year.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

SN: I've never been out of shape so i guess no one ever got a chance to say that yet.

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

SN: For makeup i use olive oil as it's the best remover and keeps skin healthy and for hair i oil it regularly.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

SN: I like what I do so it's not that stressful, but i do unwind by hanging out with friends and family.

Sunita Marshall

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Sunita Marshall (SN): I eat regular food. Whatever I eat, I take the same food at fashion week as well.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

SN: It's very to important, yes, water is the best. I drink a lot of water during fashion week.

3) How do you take care of your hair?

SN: I oil my hair not really every week but twice a month.

4) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

SN: Well I go to the gym regularly so there's no particular workout for only fashion week, but yes to stay fit and smart the gym is very important!

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

SN: Not really. None of the designers say anything to me, in fact some designers say "you girls are so thin!" — they say these things to newcomers mostly.

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

SN: Yes, this is really a big issue for all of us. After every big fashion shows, because of too much straightening and ironing... but what we can do. I only oil my hair and cleanse my skin.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

SN: I take 2 or 3 day holidays before any big fashion shows. I stay home and relax so I can look fresh and vibrant on ramp.

Hira Tareen

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Hira Tareen (HT): Before fashion week I tend to try to eat more fruits, yogurt and drink lots of water. I try to replace my tea/coffee intake with green tea. But of course there are cheat days in between where I can’t resist a paratha or a nice cup of doodh pati. During fashion week we don’t have much of a choice unless we take our own food. The menu last time at FPW was fantastic! I am hoping something similar happens this time around too.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

HT: I do my best to stay away from soda and replace that with water or fresh juices.

3) How do you take care of your skin?

HT: I think improving one’s diet has a significant effect their skin. As I mentioned before, having more water and cutting down on the sodas as well as junk food really improves the skin. Other than that I try to make sure I keep my skin cleansed at night and hydrated throughout the day. Another important factor that contributes to fresh and dewy skin is getting good sleep. I try to do that too, I love to sleep anyways so it’s a treat.

4) How do you take care of your hair?

HT: I wish I took care of my hair more considering that it gets damaged the most during fashion week. I suppose I let it rest long enough and oil it once a month at least in the time in between acting or modelling projects.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

HT: I haven’t been consistent about a workout routine but I watch these online workout videos and follow along at home whenever I do get in the fitness phase. But no, there’s no specific routine. I believe that 10 minutes a day of working out is still better than 0 minutes. So even something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator can help in keeping you active and energetic and keep your calories balanced.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

HT: They have never verbalised this demand. Not to me at least. But I am sure they have certain expectations or preferences about more or less... a standard ‘size’ of a model. But most of the time they are aware of our measurements beforehand.

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

HT: It’s hard to know if you can really reverse any kind of damage to skin or hair but yes there are a few things I try to do to try to make myself feel better. I try to stay away from make-up for the next few days to let my skin breathe and take in the oxygen. I oil/condition my hair to detangle all the backcombing and leave it untreated for a few days.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

HT: Not really. I generally don’t get stressed out about participating in fashion week.

Tabish Oza

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Tabish Oza (TO): I go on a strict protein diet a month before the fashion week, this is the only thing I badly miss in my life.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

TO: Water and fresh juices. A big no for artificial boxed juices.

3) How do you take care of your skin?

TO: By drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day. By keeping it clean, and hydrated.

4) How do you take care of your hair?

TO: Lots of massage and treatments. No hair products.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

TO: My workout routine gets totally changed for fashion week in which I run for an hour and about 45 minutes of hardcore weights.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

TO: Yeah its the usual — they ask you to be in shape and to not gain weight.

7) After fashion week, how do you help reverse the damage caused by so much make-up/styling on your skin/hair?

TO: Definitely by unwinding ., catching up on sleep. Keeping the skin and hair taken care of.

8) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

TO: A spa day is A MUST after fashion week.

Eshal Fayyaz

1) What do you eat before/during fashion week?

Eshal Fayyaz (EF): I try to eat something healthy which can give me energy the whole day.

2) It's important to stay hydrated, so what kind of beverages do you consume?

EF: I have coconut juice and a lot of water... also cranberry juice.

3) How do you take care of your skin?

EF: I use my own base and primer before applying base, and I remove make up with cleansing milk by L'oreal and then I use toner as well. Before I go to sleep I use Body Shop Vitamin E Cream on my face.

4) How do you take care of your hair?

EF: I use serum which keeps my hair healthy plus I have vitamins every day for skin, hair and nails from GNC, and I use heat protector so my hair doesn't get damaged.

5) Do you have a specific workout routine to get into shape for fashion week?

EF: I don't get time to workout every day but whenever I do I go to the gym. Honestly speaking I'm not a gym lover. I get lazy plus I'm blessed — I don't gain weight, it doesn't matter how much I eat.

6) Do designers make any demands about your diet and workout?

EF: No designers don't make demands as they make clothes according to your measurements and they do fittings as well before showing their collections.

7) Do you do something to de-stress before or after fashion week?

EF: No, I don't do anything before or after the fashion week. I don't take fashion weeks as stresses. I love fashion week, that's the only platform where all the fashion industry gets to meet each other and I love my job — it's my passion.