Getting a personal look at everything at Paris Fashion Week was intriguing: Masoom Minawala

Minawala talks to IANSlife about her time at the exhibition and why she is so passionate about promoting Indian design around the world.

Q: How does it feel to be the only Indian Influencer to attend the luxury shows like Hermes and Louis Vuitton at PFW'21?

A: Nothing brings me more joy than being able to represent my country on a global stage. Being a part of Paris Fashion Week is an incredible experience. Seeing the most recent collections from a variety of fashion houses, brands, and designers, we got a sneak peek at what's next in the world of fashion. It's exciting to be the conduit for these worldwide trends to reach my Indian audience.

Q: We loved your outfits, tell us more about them, the inspiration, how you chose the designer etc?

A: I wore a lot of Emerging Indian Designers in line with my mission of taking Indian Fashion globally. I chose one impressive handloom: Khadi for my Vaishali Studio ensemble. It was critical for me to emphasise and demonstrate to the rest of the world what Indian fashion and designers have to offer. Showcasing a melange of intricate Indian handlooms weaved in western silhouettes was an ode to my heritage. It's my roots, the rich culture I come from.

Q: How will you describe your journey which began from India a decade ago, to walking the carpet at Cannes Film Festival, 2021, to attending Paris Fashion week?

A: After completing my studies in London, I noticed this gap in the Indian market, where international fashion and trends were not at accessible price points. That is when the idea of Style Fiesta came into place. All I had to do was convert my readers into customers, bridge that gap between accessibility, affordability, and availability of global trends in India.

It wasn't easy to say because when I started blogging, it wasn't looked upon or considered as a career, especially for a woman. After years of creating content, from fashion to lifestyle to social issues, I had the grand honour of representing my country at a global stage like the Cannes Film Festival (two times in a row). Recently, I attended the Paris Fashion Week 2021 and it was incredible. I travelled for a work event after a very long time and the feeling was incredible; especially being surrounded by so many talented artists and personalities.

Q: How was it being a part of Paris Fashion Week?

A: It was an incredible experience to attend the events. All of these brands come with a lot of heritage in the industry, and seeing everything up and personal was a thrilling experience. Being able to attend shows for some of my most favourite brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Paul Smith and Christian Louboutin was wonderful.

Q: Your future plans?

A: A lot more exploring to be done in my content journey along with creating an impact with Empowher, a new venture through which I aim to empower homegrown women-led Indian brands, bring visibility to them, and elevate them to a global audience. The ultimate aim is to inspire and motivate women entrepreneurs and help guide them on the road to financial stability and growth.