How awesome is it that just days before our new blogs are set to debut, I am involved in a Fashion show? Now how’s that for a bangin’ first post.

Months ago my BFF Veronica asked if I’d like to be a part of an event for her new company, xztly! – a charity fashion show called Splash of Splendour, proceeds going to the Kiwanis club of TTDI.

Me (left) and Veronica

Obviously at this point I questioned how well I’d be able to execute this seeing that:

• No 1 – I’m 5 ft 2 and a half inches and are completely not model like.  Have you watched ANTM? I’m probably best compared to the unseen girl handing water to the models.

• No 2 – I have only done this once before – for Storybook Couture – but it was in a club, a big help with the self-conscious factor.

But anyway, I said yes because I wanted to help out.

Three designers were slotted to auction off a few items of clothing for the show – Ed Hardy Malaysia, Alin Anuar of Asian Atelier and Jedan. Good stuff, and the best part is I was selected for Ed Hardy! Yay!

So at the fitting, obviously the first thing Azwin (the Ed Hardy rep) did was literally look me up and down. Veronica quickly said: ‘She’s short, but she’s real’. He then dressed me in a hot pink t-shirt dress and threw on a tiara, a glittery necklace and a black glove.

You won’t be the ’sexy’ sort of model. You’ll be sweet.

“Yup, ‘coz obviously, when you’re 5ft 2 there’s no way you can be considered sexy”, was what was running through my mind but I kept it to myself, obviously.

When yesterday finally arrived (the day of the show), we models (around 30 of us), gathered at the Prince Court and Residences really early, 7.30am.

Of course there was the briefing and run-through and then we proceeded to hair and makeup.

Let me tell you this, I have newfound respect for models – makeup and hair took about an hour, and the rest of the time we sat around waiting till our slot. All in all, we waited a grand total of 5 hours,during which time we got to know one another pretty well.

Hair is painful. See below.

How to be fabulous

That’s my hair being run along a fine toothed comb over and over, section by section, to give it a poofy look. Azwin sprayed pink spray all over as well.

Makeup wasn’t so bad but it was a little embarrassing having everyone in the ballroom area stare at you.

Some friends of mine who were modeling for Jedan and Asian Atelier had it a little easier. Having to look demure and ’sopan’, lots of makeup wasn’t a requirement and they looked really nice.

Vivienne in her Asian Atelier baju kurung

After we got all our makeup on, we were afraid to eat – since I wasn’t a diva, I didn’t want to touch anything in case I would need a touch-up later.

When our turns finally came we had to embody the spirit of Ed Hardy – rockin, badass, fierce, sexy, hot, devilmaycare and so on.

Thankfully being the only ’sweet’ model in the lot all I had to do was act cute and princessy – not to difficult.

In the end, I learned a valuable lesson – Modeling is tough! Capturing the designer’s idea of beauty for a certain label is not easy! and Fashion is, well, relative.

Of everything I had on, I would have preferred to stick with just the dress. It was already loud enough with the bedazzlements, but Azwin threw in the tiara, the big coloured hair, the glove, pink tights (which are so hideous I refused to have them photographed) , the long neck piece and heaps of pink makeup.Oh, and a sparkly orange bag.

All us models

But I guess that’s runway fashion for you – loud, attention-grabbing and a little painful (for the model at least). And now that I know what it’s like to be an almost real model, I know I probably will do it again, if I get paid for it!

Vignesh, John and Ad