Get to know Vanizha, the Malaysian model who walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week
Vanizha Vasantha Nathan always thought of herself as just another ordinary woman; but she had big dreams. Pair that with tenacity and passion, this is what drove her to achieve what she has today.
Growing up, she felt there was a lack of representation of dark-skinned talents on the big screen. This was what fueled her spirit to break some boundaries. She was a traditional Indian dancer who specialised in Odissi for the past 13 years, well before becoming a professional model.
Things took an interesting turn when in 2015, when she was called to walk the KL Fashion Week.
“The experience was an eye-opener for me and it was at that time I knew that I can pursue this career for the long run,” said Vanizha in an interview with Sinar Daily.
Her life changed rapidly after KL Fashion Week 2015; where she was noticed by designers, photographers and brands.
She was the first Malaysian to walk for the Lakme Fashion Week, held in Mumbai, India in 2016. “It was a really overwhelming experience as I had worked hard to go through numerous castings before getting selected,” she said.
The proudest moment was; when she received a call again to walk for yet another Lakme Fashion Week in 2017. That’s where she slowly began to get recognized from professionals from the fashion industry abroad.
In 2018, she was invited to take part in one of Asia's largest fashion events, China Fashion Week, becoming the first Malaysian to walk the runway at the event.
“The whole experience of being in a totally different country that speaks different language, and being all alone, it was little scary at first but it was all worth it as I was en route in achieving my dreams,” said Vanizha. She was called again to walk for China Fashion Week in 2019.
She also took part in the Jakarta Fashion Week 2019; which is another huge fashion event that happens in this region.
“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, and more. 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,” she said.
Vanizha relished her achievements – things were reaching an all-time high before the year of 2020 where the world come to a halt.
Due to pandemic, she turned into a social media content creator for numerous brands such as M.A.C, Charles & Keith, Daniel Wellington, Tresemme, ZALORA and Warner Music Malaysia.
Through hard work, patience and determination, it all paid off in the beginning of January 2022. With the guidance of her mother; she received a call to attend a casting in Milan for Milan Fashion Week.
“It was my first time ever trying out for Milan Fashion Week and I managed to walk for two designers. This was a huge deal, especially for a small-town girl from Malaysia,” she said.
However, it doesn’t stop there for Vanizha. She wants to give her best and make her mark in Europe as well as all over the world.
“Dreams do come true. You just got to believe and don’t give up,” said Vanizha.
