Venerable Voyager

Padma Lakshmi is a multi hyphenated woman who speaks a global language. She has left a glittering trail of inspiration as she goes about creating new shades and easy exotic recipes.

- Nidhi Raj Singh

Not so long ago Padma Lakshmi would live life out of a suitcase. Madras, New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Paris and pretty much everywhere her modelling and acting career would take her. Not much has changed. She was on a plane back to New York, the place she calls home now, after launching a capsule collection she created for M.A.C. in India this March.

Not that there isn’t enough to keep her busy — her writing, filming of the 16 th season of Top Chef, her daughter Krishna and her adorable coup of Padma’s playlist — she still finds ways to add another chapter to her life story. Why, you ask. “For so long, our needs have been ignored by makeup companies. To have makeup for brown skinned people, designed by a brown skinned person who uses makeup regularly, was exciting,” Padma says. She excitedly tells us about Mittai Pink lipstick in fuchsia shade, Moon & Shine, a two-toned blush with peach and pink shades, and 70s Sunset with shades called Mumtaz (pearl) and Cardamom (green). She has basically created a dream makeup kit she always wanted for herself since her modelling days.

At a time when Indian fashion scene was opening its naïve eyes to a bright new world, Padma was strutting down the runways half way across the world for Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace and Ralph Lauren. But, it wasn’t all rosy for a 21-year-old with a seven inch scar on her right arm and a baggage of bullying because of her skin colour.