FORGING HER FUTURE

A regular on the international fashion runway circuit, Amrit reflects on the year with Ainee Nizami Ahmedi from her hometown in Punjab

Three years ago, when Amrit was studying at the Paris College of Art, she bagged her debut cover shoot. It marked a series of firsts for her, including wearing make-up and being in front of a professional camera. Since then, and particularly post her runway debut at Chloé, the Punjab-born model and artist has persistently added new milestones to her repertoire. This includes walking for mega-brands like Dior, Fendi, and Alberta Ferretti and starring in the campaigns of brands such as Miu Miu and Balmain. “Going from Punjab to Paris, I had never imagined what awaited me, especially as an introverted kid who found refuge in books, art, and nature,” she says, letting me into her world.

Infinite blue sky dress, ₹36,800 and cloudscape quilted coat, ₹79,500, both by Sonam Khetan; Gema drop earrings, ₹13,500, Swarovski

Was she nervous on that first shoot, I ask? “I had never shot anything before, not even locally, because I was extremely camera shy. But that feeling started to vanish since that day.” How so? “It has to do with working in an environment where you sense that someone has trusted you to be the friction between their vision and your offering. You find yourself inhabiting new characters and start having fun with it. It’s a liberating feeling. Shooting with Avani Rai for ELLE was one such experience, especially when we connected over our Punjabi roots, love for Gurmukhi, and shared artistic vision,” she shares.