Sakshi Vasudev speaks on breaking away from conventions as a model in the city through healthy physical and mental outlooks.
By Swara Sanket Kamble
While many models are encouraged to go on restrictive diets to achieve the fashion industry’s “ideal” thin body, Sakshi Vasudev, the first South Asian plus-size model in Hong Kong takes control of her health through a balanced diet and exercise routine.
“There is so much more in life than the way you look. You don’t have to change your ways in order to fit a certain standard of beauty. You can be the way you are and still be beautiful,” Vasudev says.
“It depends on myself if I want to have a good diet. I told myself if I want to pursue this [modelling] seriously, I need to keep myself in check. I have started going to the gym, taking care of my skin, and stopped eating junk food. I mean, from time to time I eat junk food, but it’s not like I’m stuffing my face,” the 23-year-old model says.
Vasudev usually has her mother’s home cooked meals such as curry, vegetables, and rice. Her favorite food is stir fry Chinese vegetables, like choy sum, with rice.
She points out the fashion industry plays an important role in creating beauty standards for models which are difficult to attain.
“Obviously this sets an unrealistic expectation that girls wanting to become a model need to starve themselves, eat salads, or even extreme to the point of throwing up after meals so it doesn’t affect their bodies,” Vasudev says.
“The type of [modelling] agencies that put models through diet restrictions and ask their models to puke after every meal are looked down upon,” she adds.
Vasudev highlights that the body structure of different nationalities is an important factor affecting body shape. “In East Asia, women are more slim and have a small bone structure. Whereas if you go to the West or South Asia, you’d know the body structure is quite big. And sometimes it has nothing to do with diet,” she says.
Weighing 73 kg and 171 cm tall, Vasudev works out three to four times a week, mostly focusing on training with weights and targeting different muscle groups.
“Now the media has played a pivotal role in showing what models should look like, but you can also see some representation of different body types. And I hope it continues where we see different body types in the fashion industry,” she says.
Vasudev joined ‘Self Management Hong Kong’ last year, a modelling agency, which hires diverse models and represents them globally. She is the first plus-size model who joined the agency.
She was previously signed to ChubbyChubby – Asia’s first plus-size modelling agency – from 2022 to 2023.
“I reached out to ChubbyChubby after seeing their TVB interview. Being Indian and curvy puts me on a unique edge so they were eager to sign me on. Their whole message was to be the first plus-size modelling agency in Asia and they want to change the norm in the industry,” she says.
Vasudev has modelled for many different brands such as makeup company Charlotte Tilbury, a luxury designer clothing brand Emma Wallace, and has walked the runway for Hong Kong based fashion brands Redress, The Hive, and Harmony HK.
“Traditional models are booked easily for editorial shoots for high end brands like Elle. Plus-size models are usually booked for active wear, lingerie, and upbeat, lifestyle types of photo shoots. These are usually for brands who want to showcase diversity,” Vasudev says.
Colored plus-size models usually get jobs once every two to three months.
“Hong Kong is not quite there yet in terms of diversity and inclusivity,” the model says.
In 2020, Jill Kortleve was the first plus-size model to walk for the French fashion house in over a decade.
“I believe the West is more open to plus-size models. Hong Kong is much slower. Since the pool of models here is quite small, brands prefer booking traditional models,” Vasudev says.
Precious Lee is one of her favorite plus-size models.
“I watched an interview posted on YouTube in which Lee talked about how she started walking for Versace. She told her agent that she wanted to model for Versace and they laughed at her. A few years later, she walked for Versace and became Donatella’s favorite,” Vasudev recalls.
This serves as inspiration for Vasudev.
Vasudev shares that high-end brands such as Chanel do not care about diversity, but more about brand image.
“There aren’t a lot of plus-size models modelling for luxury brands. I want to break that stereotype and model for Chanel one day,” she says.
Vasudev started modeling in 2019. She was 18. She especially loves walking runway shows.
“There is a certain type of energy I get on the runway. The moment you put me on a runway, I get a lot of confidence. I love it because you can showcase your personality and listen to music,” she says.
Vasudev auditioned for and was selected for a winter show by Harmony HK – which is the first diverse model agency in Hong Kong and Asia, representing models from all backgrounds, races, ages, shapes, and the LGBT community.
“Once I stepped on the runway, people cheered for me and it gave me such a confidence boost, because for my entire life I was always considered as not the prettiest one. I was seen as too fat, or I was always behind the shadows… I just wanted to try it out. I wanted to prove to people that people like me can be on the runway,” the proud model recalls.
Being in the public eye means that Vasudev is no stranger to criticism.
“I once posted a reel of me walking and in the video you could see my stomach jiggling. I got a lot of negative comments from people, mostly guys, telling me to ‘go to the gym’. It really showcases how quick people are to judge,” the model says.
“Although the comments did affect me a bit, I’m here to walk and you’re [netizens] here behind your fake accounts while I’m getting rich,” she adds.
Vasudev recalls her high school days when she was affected by the names her peers called her.
“I started hiding myself in cardigans, even when it was very hot outside. I never wore dresses or skirts, I was always in jeans and t-shirts,” she says.
“Subconsciously, there’s always a part of me that says ‘you’re fat’. I grew up chubby, I didn’t suddenly gain this weight. There were times that I lost weight and then gained it back. Now it doesn’t matter if I am fat. I want to be the strongest version of myself physically and mentally,” she adds.
Vasudev is on a mission to prove people wrong and spread the message that everyone is beautiful in their own way. “If you know yourself and your health is okay, there’s no pain, and the doctor says you’re good, then everything is fine,” she says.
Vasudev reminds aspiring models to be persistent and urges them to keep trying.
“You’re going to get rejected and that’s ok. Don’t take it personally. Keep developing yourself and your skill sets. In a world of constant nitpicking, people constantly try to throw you down. Take that as motivation to get better,” she adds.
Edited by Lunaretta Linaura
Sub-edited by Cindy Lee
