From going about your mundane daily life in your hometown to walking the runway, Indian models are taking a trip down memory lane, showing the world what life looked like before strutting down the fashion runway.
What is the trend
Forget the usual success-story montage. The hometown vs runway trend gives the before-and-after format a fun, sassy twist, juxtaposing the everyday mundanity of life back home with the glamour of the runway. One moment, you’re watching a model draw water from a well, walk through farm fields, carry buckets along narrow village paths, plough the land or tend to their buffaloes; the next, they’re strutting down the runway.Indian models have been taking to Instagram to share these transformations, set to quirky soundtracks that make the contrast all the more entertaining.Savio Fedrick (24), model, actor and producer, who believes he was among the first to start the trend, says, “The idea behind this reel was actually very random. I’ve always loved before-and-after transformations, and I have been experimenting with different reels on Instagram Trials.”After multiple experiments, Savio says, “I noticed similar reels performing well with a different audio, and I thought, why not give it another shot? This time, instead of just showing my journey from college to the runway, I wanted to show something more personal—where I come from and where life has taken me. I used one of my favourite Tamil songs from back home, and slowly, the reels started picking up.” Savio’s reel has now got over 20 million views.
Why it’s resonating
Beyond the fun transitions and runway glamour, the trend is making a larger point. These models are celebrating their roots while showing that where you come from need not determine how far you can go. Their reels challenge the perception that modelling is a career reserved for the privileged or those from big cities.Interestingly, the trend comes at a time when modelling agencies, which traditionally scouted talent through beauty pageants and in metropolitan cities, are increasingly also looking to smaller towns and rural areas for fresh faces.Take Rituraj Singh Nabiyal (22), an engineering student at IIT Kanpur who is pursuing modelling alongside his studies. Hailing from Nabi, a remote village in Uttarakhand, he has modelled for renowned names in the fashion industry. He says, “Through the reel, I wanted to share my journey and tell those from small towns and rural villages that your background doesn’t define your potential. You can come from a village where farming is the primary occupation and still dream of walking the runway. You don’t have to move to a big city to start believing in yourself.”For Savio, too, the reel is as much about reconnecting with his roots as it is about looking back at his journey. “I come from a simple, average Indian family, and I’ve always been a village boy at heart. So, when I look at myself walking on runways today, it’s a very emotional feeling. For me, this reel is not just a before-and-after transformation, but a little reminder of where I started, how far I’ve come, and how much more there is to experience.“Some models are giving the trend their own spin. For them, the transition is not just about going from everyday life to the runway, but about the choices that changed their trajectory.Anandhu Baiju (27), a model from Kerala, studied engineering and followed a conventional career path before deciding to pursue modelling. He says, “For me, this trend was a beautiful way to look back at how far I’ve come. It reminds me that sometimes, taking a risk on yourself can lead you to places you never imagined. I hope my journey inspires others to believe in their dreams and have the courage to pursue them, even when the path is uncertain.“