“I started Diet Paratha because I needed it myself,” recounts Anita Chhiba, as she recapitulates the early days of the burgeoning platform that has since evolved into a space that rejects the homogeneity of South Asian beauty standards. It’s 6 pm when I dial Chhiba, who is back home in New Zealand, where she was born and raised. The sunlight glistens through the large windows as she shows me her view of the city skyline. When I ask her why she decided to move from a country as beautiful as the one that plays out on my screen, she replies candidly. “The opportunities here are so scarce; it is hard to work your way up in such a white world. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of representation in the creative industry, and so I moved to London in search of a community and a space to grow creatively.”
Chhiba probably didn’t predict that she would herself become a force in London’s creative community, creating opportunities for stylists, photographers, and models from the diaspora. “My understanding of representation doesn’t stop at the visual,” she shares, “Whenever I execute a project or host an event, I make sure there are South Asian teams on board, and we’re paying as many of them as we can. From the caterers, the models, photographers and videographers, to the door staff, it is important to me that we go beyond the surface and provide opportunities to this previously underrepresented yet supremely talented community.”
Denne historien er fra December 2021-utgaven av Grazia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2021-utgaven av Grazia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Cultural Renaissance
With a vision to bridge Jaipur's artistic legacy and the global contemporary art world, HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Noelle Kadar launch the Jaipur Centre for Art
LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED
In conversation with Durjoy Datta, as he reflects on the emotional toll of writing intense stories, his journey as an author, and how his latest book revisits themes of love, second chances, and loss
All Eyes On THIS
Meet the newest standout brands on Grazia's beauty desk
Is Restocking Our Fridges A New Form Of Self-Care?
All the reasons why #restocking may not be as calming as it seems
SAVOUR THE TASTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
In the heart of our capital lies an extraordinary dining experience, unlike any other
ESCAPE THE ORDINARY
Luxury stays are now an essential part of our lives.
CHEFS ON THE LOOSE
Here's How Pop-Ups, Takeovers, and Workshops Are Heating Up the Indian Culinary Scene
NOT SO HIDDEN
What's making everyone wear acne patches, from transparent ones to colourful with bold designs, in public spaces?
RAISING THE BAR
With medi-facials on the rise, we're setting new benchmarks of our expectations from these treatments, and they're delivering
WHAT WORLD ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND FOR HER?
Despite stronger laws, crimes against women continue to rise in India. The International Day of the Girl Child is not one for celebration, but instead, one for igniting concern, awakening, and reformation