THE SPOTLIGHT
“I was discovered by
Vikram Phadnis at an
inter-college fashion
show. Later, I went
on to walk the ramp
with the likes of Mehr
Jessia, Namrata
Shirodkar, and
Svetlana. The industry
was very small then
and it was just 15 to
20 of us who did most
of the campaigns and
fashion shows.”LOVE FOR TRAVEL
“I love to travel. It
is what makes me,
‘me.’” Rodrigues lives
in Palm Jumeirah,
Dubai, with husband
Henrik Larsen and two
kids. She believes that
travel exposes one
to different people,
places, ways, thoughts,
ideas, and much more.LEARNING ON
THE GO
From the Great Wall of
China to the pyramids
of Egypt, the cenotes
in Mexico to African
safaris—Rodrigues
makes sure she takes
her kids with her.
“Education imparts
theoretical lessons,
while travel teaches
you practicality—a
combination of the
two completes you.
Travel is growth,
evolution of the spirit,
soul, and mind. Itopens up windows
in your head. It is like
reading; gives you the
opportunity to think,
observe, learn new
things, empathise, and
helps you understand
why people choose
and priortise different
things. It makes you
respect and accept
people for who they
are, without making
any judgements.”THE GLAMOROUS
“The glamour in Dubai
would shame most
cities in the world.
We are in line with
what goes on in
New York and London
with fi ne lines of
respectful behaviour.”THEN & NOW
With malls like The
Mall of Emirates—The
Dubai Mall, and The
Outlet Village, the
industry has grown
exponentially. We are
proud to be the fi rst
in the region and the
fi rst to have a model
agency. Dubai is the
fashion hub of the
Middle East.THE DUBAI GUIDE
Rodrigues’ itinerary
to go off the beaten
track includes Wadi al
Bih and Wasit Nature
Reserves, and gold
and spice souqs.
—SHIKHA PUSHPANB
orn in Kochi and brought up in Mumbai, model-turned-
entrepreneur, Nicole Rodrigues, walked the ramp for
leading Indian fashion designers in the nineties before
moving to the Middle East at the age of 21. Today, she helms
one of the most infl uential modelling agencies in the region.COURTESY OF NICOLE RODRIGUES; JOHN COLETTI/GETTYIMAGES; NAUFAL MQ/GETTYIMAGESMy Town
Catwalk in Dubai
Nicole Rodrigues, Founder and CEO,
Diva Group of Companies, walks us through
Dubai, a city she saw through her years
of establishing the fashion empire.TRAVEL TRYSTS
At 44, I have travelled to
more than 67 countries,
some of recent ones being
Puerto Rico, Mexico, Miami,
and Atlanta. On my bucket
list are St Petersburg
and Montreal.
From above:
Nicole Rodrigues;
an Emiliano
Zapata Street in
Mexico; a desert
safari in Dubai.