Exclusive: Supermodel Christy Turlington on coming back to India, working with Kirat Young and closing for Sabyasachi
The energy of Sabyasachi’s 25th anniversary show is mystical. The list of distinguished guests has not yet filled the outdoor rooms, and the piercing gaze of the 50-year-old designer haunts the cosmic decor which remains empty for the moment. Backstage, models strolled in embellished trench coats and fur-lined skirts. Most are comically half-dressed, running around for the finishing touches. Model Christy Turlington, who must conclude this elephantine affair, is ready. When I meet her, a smile appears on her face. I am immediately seduced by her seemingly timeless skin and sparkling eyes.
Wearing ivory gray cashmere pants and an onyx pashmina sweater, Turlington looks pretty casual, save for the plethora of jewelry adorning her. From layered necklaces and crucifix earrings to bracelets and bangles, the bling is endless. “I feel chic and very comfortable,” she tells me. “I’m always cold, so I’m very happy to wear this sweater.”
This is Turlington’s seventh trip to India. When I ask her what keeps her coming back, Pat replies: “I love India, there is so much to discover,” she says. “I’ve been here several times and I feel like it would take a lifetime to see everything India has to offer.” When she’s here, there’s always a long list of things to do. But there are two things she must master. “I have to eat dosa. Plus, I love my masala chai and have had several since I’ve been here. These are my must-do tasks in a very short period of time.
As we speak, newer models pass by. They often look at Turlington with respect. After all, the model dominated the runways in the ’90s and still brings an irresistible sense of grace to the few shows and interviews she gives today. “The 90s were so much fun. And the other models I worked with were all like sisters. We stayed in the same hotels, sometimes shared a room, and went shopping when we wanted to celebrate a long day or moment,” she recalls when I ask her about the time. You might expect her favorite moments to be show-related, but the thing she remembers most fondly is the time she spent with her peers’ children. “Yasmin Le Bon, for example, had two little girls when we worked together. It was so much fun playing with his girls and taking them on our adventures around town,” Turlington recalls.
