“I CAN NEVER GAIN
ANYTHING FROM MAKING
PEOPLE FEEL BAD ABOUT
THEMSELVES AND SHOW
THEM AN UNREALISTIC
IMAGE OF BEAUTY.”
and lack of self-worth as ammunition to drive
sales. We have been conditioned to frame an
unachievable and false image of beauty that puts us
under immense pressure and self-doubt. Social media
influencers, big corporate brands, and last but not the least,
media, have a big part to play in this,” says designer Ayush
Kejriwal who is known to feature ‘real people’ in his designs.
He believes that as a brand, it is important for him
to empower people and bring about a positive change rather
than feed on their insecurities, and make them feel bad
about who they are. “Working with real people who are
uncompromised helps me enable people visualise themselves
in my clothes and nurture self-worth. This positive connection
between the audience and my brand is crucial.
I can never gain anything from making someone feel bad
about themselves and show them an unrealistic image
of beauty,” says Kejriwal.
Anjali Lama from Nepal was the first transgender model
to walk at LFW in 2016 for Monisha Jaisingh. Apart from
sparking a series of conversations within the space, this move
saw the advent of a major shift—all-in fashion. “I began my
career in year 2009 but walked for LFW only in 2017. My
journey was not an easy one. In one show, the organiser told
me that he can’t select me because I’m a transgender and theclient doesn’t want to work with me,” said Lama.
As another first, Trios (fundraising event) in Chennai, 2017
saw wheelchair-bound people on the ramp.
Designer Shalini Visakan, founder of Suvastra Designs, who
started making adaptive clothing in 2014 for her polio-affected
husband, talks of inclusivity at another level—clothing for
those with special needs.
Since no brands then were offering inclusive clothing
options, she created them for her husband. They worked well,
so others who faced similar problems requested for more
options. “The demand eventually saw me making a whole new
line,” she said in an interview with a news publication. Apart
from making sherwanis and dhoti pants for men, and saris and
salwar kameez (with attached dupattas) for women, Visakan
is now planning to introduce adaptive clothing for kids in the
near future.RISE OF GENDER-FLUID FASHION
Society has long since dictated gender and behavioural norms.FASHION conversation
Models wearing garments
by designer Ayush Kejriwal
(in circle)“I CAN NEVER GAIN
ANYTHING FROM MAKING
PEOPLE FEEL BAD ABOUT
THEMSELVES AND SHOW
THEM AN UNREALISTIC
IMAGE OF BEAUTY.”
and lack of self-worth as ammunition to drive
sales. We have been conditioned to frame an
unachievable and false image of beauty that puts us
under immense pressure and self-doubt. Social media
influencers, big corporate brands, and last but not the least,
media, have a big part to play in this,” says designer Ayush
Kejriwal who is known to feature ‘real people’ in his designs.
He believes that as a brand, it is important for him
to empower people and bring about a positive change rather
than feed on their insecurities, and make them feel bad
about who they are. “Working with real people who are
uncompromised helps me enable people visualise themselves
in my clothes and nurture self-worth. This positive connection
between the audience and my brand is crucial.
I can never gain anything from making someone feel bad
about themselves and show them an unrealistic image
of beauty,” says Kejriwal.
Anjali Lama from Nepal was the first transgender model
to walk at LFW in 2016 for Monisha Jaisingh. Apart from
sparking a series of conversations within the space, this move
saw the advent of a major shift—all-in fashion. “I began my
career in year 2009 but walked for LFW only in 2017. My
journey was not an easy one. In one show, the organiser told
me that he can’t select me because I’m a transgender and theclient doesn’t want to work with me,” said Lama.
As another first, Trios (fundraising event) in Chennai, 2017
saw wheelchair-bound people on the ramp.
Designer Shalini Visakan, founder of Suvastra Designs, who
started making adaptive clothing in 2014 for her polio-affected
husband, talks of inclusivity at another level—clothing for
those with special needs.
Since no brands then were offering inclusive clothing
options, she created them for her husband. They worked well,
so others who faced similar problems requested for more
options. “The demand eventually saw me making a whole new
line,” she said in an interview with a news publication. Apart
from making sherwanis and dhoti pants for men, and saris and
salwar kameez (with attached dupattas) for women, Visakan
is now planning to introduce adaptive clothing for kids in the
near future.RISE OF GENDER-FLUID FASHION
Society has long since dictated gender and behavioural norms.FASHION conversation
Models wearing garments
by designer Ayush Kejriwal
(in circle)