Om LOMBARD: The Italian Model and the Mauritius Connection by News on Sunday – 03/2011 MAURITIUS

“The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs... one step at a time....”- Joe Girard. Om Lombard, is one such person who took the stairs of success to reach the peak.  Om is today a model, a baker, a businessman, the owner of a chic boutique and an entertainer; who is passionate about Indian culture. Situated between Europe and Asia, Mauritius was the perfect place for Om to settle down for his work. Om studied Commerce and Law in Pondicherry, India, but his passion for fashion was such that he had the ardent desire to become a model.  By a happy coincidence, he was given an unexpected opportunity to replace a model who had fallen ill for a major brand in the fashion world of Singapore. “I hesitated, I tried and I was recruited!  After two days of shooting, I became a model,” Om says. D-day for Om finally arrived, and a model was unveiled.  At just 18/19 years of age, a stressed but euphoric Om enjoyed his first success in front of thousands of people, all associated with the fashion world. For Om Lombard, this was the first step towards what he is today.  He says he feels blessed and inspired by his loving father, who himself has done much in the field of real estate, journalism and baking; with bio-organic products; but all with one single aim- doing the work par-excellence. It has been thirty-five years now since his father created the first bio-organic bakery in Vannes, France.  Motivated like his father, Om took the initiative of setting up a bakery in Mauritius at Grand-Gaube for his younger brother, Julien, who pursued his studies in the field of manufacturing bio-organic bread.  Having had the chance to taste the bread, I must say, it surely met expectations, as it was delicious. The first bakery launched by Om was at Penang in Malaysia, two years ago where he also 'improved' and 'tropicalised' his father’s recipes.  He stayed there for two months to ensure that everything went smoothly. In his own humble words: “Making bread is something very special, it’s giving life to a noble product after five hours of labour... and it’s down to earth, close to nature which I love and it allows me to be simple, far from the glitter and glamour of modelling. Today, Om Lombard is not only a model and a baker but is also a businessman.  Commerce is in his genes, an ancestral heritage.  For him, everything is interlinked; a good baker if not a businessman, will remain an employee. But with the air of an innocent child, he also admits that he is not a good businessman as he is not a real money lover. God and justice have been Om’s inspiration while his family, friends, work, pets and travelling, his passion.  Not believing in succumbing to any difficulties or hurdles, his personal recipe for success is dedication, hard work, vigour and opportunity. According to Om, success does not mean being praised by others but is the feeling of having accomplished something which gains the respect of others; rendering sweeter his failures and motivating him to move forward. Om has always been strong, optimistic and constant.  Well aware of his pace of life, he proudly affirms that he perseveres  in his endeavours. “To be responsible means to be involved and surrounded... and I have my family beside me as well as some fantastic people.” Om Lombard has been working constantly for brands like G Star, Lee Cooper, Guerlin and many more. To his surprise, he also got the chance to set the dance floor on fire at the MBC Star 2010 contest with his performance of an Indian song, namely “kabhi na kabhi.”  The atmosphere was electrifying as we rarely see a guy of Italian origin  performing an Indian song.  But here also, he showed his love and passion for Indian culture with a brilliant presentation along with his dance partner and good friend, Nalini Aubeeluck. After this, Om received another call to perform at the International Fashion Extravaganza 2011, a major event, a  first in Mauritius.  The event was graced with eminent designers like Manish Malhotra, local designers and other personalities namely Shilpa Saklani, Apoorva Agnihotri and many others. And this time, Om made a remarkable “entrée a l'américaine”, notably with a motorbike.  Om was the leading light after the grand finale of famous Indian designer Manish Malhotra.  Asking him how he can be so passionate about Indian culture, Om answers : “My years in Pondicherry in India, have infused my blood with massala...” Thus, Om affirms that he is very happy to be in Mauritius. Recently, he has launched his own boutique with a new line of clothing, namely, “Om my God” in the North of the island in Grand Baie.   He wishes, with the help of young, talented local designers to create a new dimension for his own brand and give a touch of his own style to his collection.  He is also working on a project for an International label in the Indian Ocean. Conscious but not intimidated by the workload, Om is ready to work at his own pace , that is, “at 200 miles per hour”. “My dream is not a dream, my life is a dream; my dream...” says Om.