JOIN USShe found her mojo as make-up artist
After completing her Master’s degree in finance and international marketing from London, Annalia Zhimomi, travelled back to Delhi where she was supposed to prepare for the civil services examination.
At her college, Zhimomi, had on several occasions participated in fashion events on the pursuance of her elder sister. Zhimomi had obliged her sister and offered to do make-up for the models. This experience in London, would soon serve as a deterrent for Zhimomi for not joining the Indian Administrative Services as memories of her tryst with fashion would often spring up while preparing for her exams.
“My family, like any other northeastern family, wanted me to join IAS. But I knew in my heart that it wasn’t me. When I was studying for my exams, I kept on going back to the fashion events I had participated in and done make-up for dozens of people. I went to Chandigarh for a friend’s wedding to clear my mind and it was there when I finally decided that I didn’t want to be in government,” said Zhimomi.
The breakpoint according to her was when her friends praised her make-up work in front of their families. “I called up my mother the same day and told her how I felt. My father was initially reluctant but soon gave up on me,” Zhimomi said. More than three years after that phone call, Zhimomi says she can “finally call herself a make-up artist.”
The 25-year old make-up artist belongs to Dimapur in Nagaland. Her father, a Rajya Sabha member, also the head of the Naga People’s Front, had from a very long time wanted his daughter to be a part of the government machinery. “Making money is not as important as following your passion,” she told Metrolife in an attempt to simplify the choice she has lately taken.
After completing her basic education in a boarding school in Shimla, Zhimomi, was admitted to Delhi Public school in the city where she did studied till 2007.
“In my childhood as well, I would do make-up on my dolls. Looking back at what I did, I think I did my work with precision,” said Zhimomi before breaking into a smile. After doing her graduation in finance studies, she was sent to London, where fate would bring her back to what she had been kept away from for far too long.
“The moment I picked up the brush, I knew who I was,” she adds. She later joined the Delhi School of Make-up to do a brief course. Two years later, Zhimomi has barely any free time.
Over the next month or so, she has plans to visit about half-a-dozen states in India for her work. “I have been getting a lot of offers to do bridal make-ups,” she said. Her seriousness dissipates momentarily when she discusses her plans of the vacation she plans to take in her native Nagaland. “Hornbill is the national bird of Nagaland and we have been having a festival by the same name from 2000. This December (2015) I plan to go there,” said Zhimomi excitedly.
When asked about her future plans, she details her interest in prosthetic make-up. “I love it. The best prosthetic make-up artists are in Japan and the presentation in the films is just superb and scary at the same time. I would like to do the same for some movies but my plan is to set up my own studio and teach make-up professionally,” Zhimomi said. “In the future
I would love to create products which are easily affordable. The core idea being that every woman has the right to look good and be happy,” she elaborated.