A mirror selfie in an ordinary room. And then suddenly Milan Fashion Week. That is exactly what happened when Mumbai-based civil engineering graduate Shubham Vaidkar posted a video that the Internet cannot stop talking about. In a matter of seconds, his reel shows him going from an ordinary engineering life in India to walking the runway for a luxury fashion giant in Italy.
The transformation isn’t just about clothes. It is about two completely different worlds.
Mumbai Engineering Graduate Walks At Milan Fashion Week
The viral reel begins with a mirror selfie from his engineering days. The text on screen reads, “Me when working as a civil engineer in India.” He is dressed casually and looks like any other young professional.
Then comes the switch.
The next frame shows him dressed in sharp black and walking confidently for Giorgio Armani at Milan Fashion Week.
Watch The Clip Here
Internet Was Definitely Impressed
The Internet, of course, had a lot to say.
A social media user commented, “Amazing transformation and life changes, buddy,” while another remarked, “Marathi mulga.”
“My god, my jaw dropped,” someone else wrote, while a person added, “So chic.”
Even model Giorgia Andriani dropped a comment saying, “Lit!”
From Engineering To Modelling
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Shubham shared that he was born and raised in Mumbai, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Modelling, at first, was not part of a big plan.
“During my second year of engineering, I began modelling purely for fun,” he said.
“It was very random. I was browsing Instagram and came across a reel about modelling. That got me curious,” he added.
At that point, Shubham says he weighed around 83-84 kg and had a much bulkier build than what agencies usually look for in runway models. Curious about how the industry works, he began researching online and realised that professional representation is key.
“I sent my pictures to several agencies, and one of them called me in for a meeting. They were very blunt and told me I needed to lose weight. They gave me a month, and I worked hard on it. When we met again, they signed me,” he added.
With just one month in hand, Shubham changed his routine completely. Oily food, sugar, junk— all out. As someone with an ectomorph body type, he said that losing weight came naturally once he committed to it.
Milan, Paris And A Big Career Shift
His big international break came in January 2024 when he travelled to Milan for an Armani show. It was not just his first global assignment, it was also his first trip abroad. Before that, he had only worked within India.
“I travelled to Milan and Paris for the second time in June 2024. After completing my exams in June, I went to Milan. I was there for two months,” Shubham told the outlet.
But modelling does not always guarantee steady work. So after returning to India, he took up a job as a civil engineer where he earned Rs 30,000 per month (around Rs 3.6 lakh annually).
Six months later, he made a bold decision and resigned to pursue modelling full-time.
Today, the numbers look very different. “Internationally, modelling pays well. For a runway show in Milan, you can earn around €1,500 to €2,000. Campaigns pay much more — around €5,000 to €6,000 for a day, depending on the project. Compared to an entry-level engineering salary, it’s a huge difference,” he said.
A campaign shoot paying €5,000 to €6,000 (over Rs 5 lakh for a day) is a major shift from a monthly engineering salary. He has now walked five times for Armani and completed one campaign for the brand.
But as Shubham clarified, the agency takes a 30 per cent cut as commission for securing projects, and the remaining 70 per cent goes to the model.
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