‘Dreams do come true’ – Vanizha

“MY full name is Vanizha Vasantha Nathan. I am a professional model and a trained Odissi dancer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia…”

A modest introduction by someone who has appeared in several publications over the years, in addition to walking across both local and international runways.

Vanizha is a name written across many headlines of late, being the pride of Malaysia as she struts in style for big-name brands.

Currently in Milan for work until April, the model never truly saw someone like herself, “… ordinary, dark-skinned, and belonging to an ethnic minority would appear in major advertisements for big renown brands.”

This was detailed in her personal writing to describe her experiences thus far.

“For me, the fact that I am able to do this and chase my dream is not only a victory for me, but for every other person who has these big dreams and believes in themselves.”

More on Vanizha’s journey as she gives readers a glimpse of her life in the entries below…

From small beginnings come great things

Being a traditional Indian dancer myself for the past 13 years or so, dance and performance have always played an important role in my life. The idea to be graceful enough on stage and showcase it to the world is a feeling that is unexplainable. 

I officially started my modelling career in 2015. After a few small-scale photoshoots, I was spotted by a makeup artist who then passed my contact to a photographer. With the support and encouragement from the photographer and my college lecturers at that time, I decided to try out for KL Fashion Week 2015. 

That experience was an eye-opener for me, and it was at that time I knew that I could pursue this career in the long run. After the fashion week, I began to get noticed by a few designers, photographers, and brands and was also asked to do photoshoots and features.

The Journey Continues

In 2016, I had my first big break to be able to walk on an international runway. 

I managed to get myself chosen to walk in the renowned Lakme Fashion Week which was held in Mumbai, India. It was an overwhelming experience as I had worked hard to go through numerous castings and finally was able to be selected. It felt good as at that time all the hard work of going through the whole process by myself was slowly starting to pay off. I was also in fact, the first Malaysian to ever walk for the Lakme Fashion Week. In 2017, I was also called again to walk for the Lakme Fashion Week and I felt proud that I was slowly beginning to be recognised internationally.

In 2018, I was called upon to participate in China Fashion Week. This was huge to me as China Fashion Week is one, or if not, the biggest fashion event in Asia. At that time, I was once again the first Malaysian to ever walk on the runway for China Fashion Week. The whole experience of being in a totally different country that speaks a different language, and being all alone was a bit scary at first, but it was all worth it as I was en route to achieving my dream. 

I was called again to walk for China Fashion Week in 2019. In that same year, Jakarta Fashion Week also took place. This was also another huge fashion event that happened in this region. Thankfully, I was also chosen to participate in Jakarta Fashion Week 2019. 

Another proud moment, or shall I say a milestone in my career is that, also in 2019, I was chosen to be the face of Sephora. I became the first dark-skinned Malaysian to ever be the face of Sephora, where I was on billboards, advertisements, etc. I was so proud of myself that not only have I taken myself to new heights, but I have also made my nation proud as well. 

As time stood still

2020 was the year that affected each and everyone in this world. 

We were all feeling the effects of what Covid-19 had done to our normal lives. The entertainment and arts industry was majorly affected as well. Due to health and safety reasons and government SOPs, there were literally no shows or shoots that took place. 

To be honest, during this time my morale was down. Thankfully, I had my family and friends who always supported me and gave me words of encouragement that meant this shall pass too.

The situation didn’t change much in 2021, but things slowly started to improve. The whole Covid-19 situation was gradually being controlled. But then, shows and big events were still at a standstill. I then turned into doing social media content for numerous brands such as M.A.C, Charles & Keith, Daniel Wellington, Tresemme, ZALORA, and Warner Music Malaysia. That kept me going and, in a way, helped me stay relevant in the industry. 

In 2021, I also managed to land my first solo magazine cover. I was featured on the cover of Options, The Edge Malaysia. 

Towards the last quarter of 2021, my mother agency had set up online castings for other international agencies mainly in Berlin, Spain, and Italy. During that time, I was doing my best to land a good deal as my biggest dream was to be able to do modelling in Europe.

I managed to sign a contract with agencies in Berlin and Spain but still was waiting for the right time and opportunity to go over there with this whole pandemic thing in consideration.

The Big Break

In late January I finally had a big breakthrough. An agency in Milan, Italy, was very keen on getting me to go over there as soon as possible.

The agency wanted me to be in the city by mid-February as the Milan Fashion Week was about to take place. I was super stoked and really excited. It felt surreal but at the same time, I was also very worried as it was all happening in such a short span of time. I decided to take that leap of faith and wanted to grab this opportunity of a lifetime as this would be a really good exposure for me and will further enhance my repertoire.

Upon reaching Milan, I knew to myself that this was not going to be an easy ride. I knew that I had to really impress designers and casting directors if I really wanted the chance to walk in Milan Fashion Week. 

The competition over there is so high. My agency in Milan had already arranged for me to attend castings for me to land a deal to walk for the fashion show. 

There are times when I would need to attend 2 to 3 castings per day. Each casting sometimes takes a long period of waiting for itself. I would end up waiting in line for about an hour until its finally my turn. And then I literally have a very short amount of time to impress the designers and casting directors. Sometimes it’s only seconds. I knew I had to always give it my all because you will not only be judged based on your looks but also your walk as well. 

After the casting process, if all goes well, you will be asked to come back for a fitting session. This doesn’t guarantee you have landed the job. I would say it’s about 90% that you will be able to walk for the designer. At the end of the day, if the designer thinks that the clothes don't suit you, then you will not make the cut for the show.

I was truly blessed enough to be able to walk for 2 designers during the Milan Fashion Week. I managed to walk for Marco Rambaldi as well as Act N°1. This being my first time ever trying out for Milan Fashion Week and I managed to walk for 2 designers, I believe it is something really huge, especially for a small-town girl from Malaysia.

Now that Milan Fashion Week is over, I am currently still going for casting and shoots here in Milan. At the same time, my mother agency is also trying to work things out for me to get a stint over at Berlin, Spain, and as well as other agencies in Europe.

The dream doesn’t end here. I want to give it my best in all I can, and I am feeling as confident as ever to make my mark in Europe as well as all over the world.

Dreams do come true. You just got to believe and don’t give up… – The Vibes, March 6, 2022

*Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with The Vibes and Vanizha this coming Women’s Day week.