Effortlessly navigating the demanding profession of managing fashion models and artists, a young model manager from India has credited a meditative practice rooted in truth, compassion, and tolerance as being her cornerstone for calmness.
Thirty-one-year-old Neha Shah works with Mumbai-based Anima Creative Management—a talent management firm that exclusively represents Indian and international models and artists.
In her role, Ms. Shah has had the opportunity to work with a diverse clientele such as Anita Dongre, Sabyasachi, Gaurav Gupta, Tanishq, Pantene, Tarun Tahiliani, Rahul Mishra, Sephora, Tira Beauty, Nykaa, and more.
The model manager correlates beauty to one’s “divine side,” which she calls inner beauty.
‘Inspiration to Grow as a Human Being’
As a fashion design graduate, Ms. Shah was assisting fashion designers when a friend suggested she try working as a model manager, confident she would be a perfect fit for the role.
After joining Anima Creative Management in 2016, Ms. Shah noticed a difference in how the company operated.
Experiencing firsthand the uplifting professional environment of Anima Creative Management, which is founded on strong moral ethics, Ms. Shah was caught off guard; she had always believed it was impossible to uphold such values in the demanding fashion industry.
“It gave me a sense of respect and inspiration to grow as a human being,” Ms. Shah said.
Curious to learn about the company’s upbeat work culture, Ms. Shah accepted an invitation to attend a Falun Dafa meditation class with the founders of the agency, Mark Luburic and Gunita Stobe.
“I started attending Falun Dafa meditation sessions held at our office weekly,” Ms. Shah said. “Once I started to read the books, it gave me [a deeper insight] into the spiritual practice, and I began to get answers to all the questions I had and learn the meaning of life.”
Since making the practice a daily part of her routine, she noticed incredible physical and mental benefits in a short time.
Each time she suffered from a fever, cold, or allergic reaction, she noticed that she'd recover from it very quickly. She says it was the “compassionate energy” of the practice that helped her.
Apart from experiencing a light feeling in her body, she also stopped drinking alcohol, a social activity that she had occasionally indulged in.
“I didn’t find any meaning nor did I enjoy indulging in it anymore,” Ms. Shah said. “I never forced myself to quit but was able to naturally give it up.”
In her role as a model manager, Ms. Shah has a wide range of responsibilities such as scouting for new talent, grooming models, managing models’ schedules, developing and maintaining client relationships, and serving as a bridge between models and clients.
Entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring smooth communication between clients and models and obtaining mutually beneficial outcomes, Ms. Shah has been able to lean on the principles of Falun Dafa as her guiding light in dealing with challenging tasks and pressing deadlines.
“Falun Dafa’s teachings had an immense impact on the way I began to look at my work and the people I worked with,” she said. “I no longer took work as just a task to finish but instead felt very responsible for others while performing any tasks. … It has taught me to take a step back in any type of conflict and always consider others in my speech and action; to help others with a selfless attitude. This has harmonized the working environment.”
Ms. Shah, who found the fashion industry very glamorous at first, said: “Being a part of it showed the industry’s demand. It involves hard work, a tiring schedule, and an unorganized working pattern.”
With the demanding schedule of the talent management industry, Ms. Shah has had to constantly juggle various tasks, leaving her with very little time to rest some days. However, she says, she feels refreshed and energetic after practicing the exercises of Falun Dafa.
As she’s progressed on her spiritual journey, she feels more content with herself and has noticed she has gradually stopped chasing success and is now focused on giving her best in every situation.
“Whenever I’m confused or stuck in a difficult situation, measuring myself with truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance helps me remain on the right path,” she said.
“I was absolutely shocked at the illogical suppression and torture of innocent people who just wanted to be good versions of themselves through spiritual practice,” she said, referring to the first time she heard about the persecution. “It left me confused as to why anybody would be treated this way for just following their faith.”
Upholding Ethics and Morals
Being a part of the fashion industry for years Ms. Shah has seen it undergo a drastic change.“‘Gain more and give less’ is the new motto in every segment of the industry. Creativity functions with pressure and deadlines at this point which has resulted in losing beauty, depth, and purpose” Ms. Shah said. “Overworking, and unorganized working schedules, and white lies are considered a norm.”
With the rapid pace at which the industry is growing, Ms. Shah said she has encountered situations where models are expected to work, despite sometimes struggling with health issues or being pushed to work beyond their allotted time.
“In such instances, the team at Anima Creatives always tries to explain the situation to the client and prioritizes models well-being, even if they have to lose [financially].” Ms. Shah said.
When faced with unethical practices and unfair terms in the industry, she was inspired to see her agency hold ground on their beliefs and not give in to the pressure.
“With the roots of the company grounded in discipline and honesty, they put their efforts into making sure that the models are treated as an ‘expression of art’ and not merely as a medium used to express art,” Ms. Shah said.
Her advice to young models looking to have a successful career in the fashion industry?
“Trust the process! I have learned through my journey that we will never be able to control the external situation, but we can always control our attitude towards the situation,“ she said. ”[Whether] that be many successes or many failures, having a humble and positive attitude with a strong moral ground is the key.
“Don’t lose your true nature in the midst of demanding and superficial industry requirements.”
