WHAT HAPPENS WHEN two powerhouses sit down to challenge each other and their own hardbound ideas? A dialogue that sees tradition squaring off against transformation, shaped by individuality and a collective expression. We asked eight trailblazers-designers, models, stylists and photographers to let us peek behind the curtain and discover more about their unique processes. Delali Ayivi and Bhumika Sharma weigh in on the responsibility that imagemakers bear when charged with documenting craft and community. Stylists Daniel Franklin and Tanya Ghavri explore freedom of expression through fashion while Anavila Misra and Yash Patil decode their revivalist approach to textile traditions. Finally, Sheetal Mallar and Subiksha Shivakumar trade insights on the path to a successful-and sustainable-modelling career. Let their free-flowing conversations fuel your creative fire.
Photographers
Delali Ayivi | Bhumika Sharma
MOVING THE CULTURAL NEEDLE
Bhumika Sharma: My love for photography began during my fashion communication studies, but the pandemic shifted my perspective. Stuck at home, I questioned my role in the industry and slowly began to explore documentary and lifestyle photography. I also travelled a lot, especially in India, where each state has a unique culture. These experiences helped me see fashion as a part of life's layers. It's not just about the garment but about the people, the environment and the culture behind it, and that's what I bring to my shoots. I once used a lungi in a fashion shoot, where I paired it with a Prada Madras print for a blend of Indian culture and global fashion. Moments like that keep me inspired.
This story is from the January - February 2025 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January - February 2025 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A
Anupama Parameswaran knows the cost of being seen, of being a young woman in a world that's always watching. Beyond the beauty, the glamour and her young 28 years, she speaks five languages more than enough words to tell her story. The actor opens up to AKSHAYA PILLAI on the quiet details of a loud life.
ALL POWERED UP
For a long time, South Asians limited themselves to careers in tech and finance in order to make a mark away from Indian soil. Now, they are not only taking over the creative scene but also finding new ways to proudly display the identity they once felt compelled to conceal
THE PROMISED LAND
Generations of rural women have been refused a well-deserved seat at the decision-making table. Now, through upskilling and technological know-how, their daughters are taking their place at its head.
HOT!
A penchant for spice is no longer just a personal preference; it's a badge of honour, the mark of a wild, sexy, untameable spirit. It's why any Indian establishment worth its salt now takes pride in its proprietary condiments-big, bold, blazing ones that could only come from its kitchen.
DOWN TO EARTH
While grand gestures might make for good cinema, Bhumi Pednekar's real life is about making small, deliberate everyday choices for the planet
Ms. Brightside
A loved one's dementia diagnosis can feel like the person you know is lost forever. When the progressive disease came to claim their amma, two sisters found a silver lining in her changing behaviour.
A gift in time
Why do we assign some personal milestones more value than others? Perennial bridesmaid DIVYA BALAKRISHNAN demands that we reassess the definition of a 'big day'
MOUNTAIN SPIRIT
A growing cohort of Kashmiri creatives are forging new relationships with the valley by reviving lost art forms, making art out of their bodies and applying ingenious solutions to everyday items.
Didn't do it for the 'gram
Am I marrying for love or for social media? When she found herself spiralling before the big day, SHRADHA SHAHANI had to ask herself the hard question
LA DOLCE VITA
From a Sicily-inspired haldi to walking down the aisle twice for the Muslim and Sikh ceremonies, Malia Taqbeem and Abhay Dhaliwal's Italian wedding was the perfect missing piece to complete their serendipitous love story