Everyone's Invited

The Indian fashion landscape is pushing boundaries when it comes to inclusion and diversity. Prachiti Parakh speaks to some of the leading names in the industry to understand their vision.

- Prachiti Parakh

We live in interesting times as designers no longer cater to a select few, but have opened doors to a wide spectrum of consumers. Representation in fashion has also witnessed a surge in inclusivity, particularly in the last few years, where LGBTQIA+ models, models from the North East, with dusky skin tones, unconventional heights, and body types, are all enjoying their moment in the spotlight. Industry experts weigh in.

PAYAL KHANDWALA

The future of fashion is democratic, especially with the influence of social media. Designers can now communicate directly with the audience and this will empower fledgling labels. Circular fashion will hopefully undo some of the damage that overproduction and reckless consumption have caused over the decades. It, at least, forces manufacturers to be more responsible and consumers to think twice before they buy more clothes, especially ones that are cheap and mass-produced.

As far as diversity and inclusion are concerned, this can only be effective once our society is on the same page. For example, Bollywood still commands the strongest influence on popular culture in India. If our movies only cast actors of a certain size or colour, the message will never be inclusive. If we still advertise fairness creams, some with stars as brand ambassadors, then putting a dusky model on the ramp will only go so far, no matter how hard the fashion industry tries to break stereotypes. Also, I am sincerely hoping that inclusivity is not merely a trend, and is here to stay for good. Paradigm shifts take time and tenacity, and we must have the patience to be the change we want to see.

ABU JANI & SANDEEP KHOSLA