Fashion / How 5 Talented Designers Are Celebrating Their South Asian Roots In The World Of Western Fashion

How 5 Talented Designers Are Celebrating Their South Asian Roots In The World Of Western Fashion

Fashion Aug 23, 2024

by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Many of us have experienced what it feels like to not fully belong as we try to embrace our current environment or the current times, while still trying to respect and honour our cultures. It’s a fine line, but today, there are some talented South Asian designers who are incorporating their personalities, stories, modern trends, and heritage into their work to help us all find that balance. What’s unique about these designers is that they’re bridging the gap between Eastern and Western cultures while still creating stunning fashion that celebrates their South Asian roots.

I don’t know about you, but it brings me a strong sense of pride when I see aspects of myself in the world. Whether it’s seeing actors, actresses, or public figures who look like me doing incredible things in the world or seeing designers bridge the gap between Eastern and Western wear, it really warms my heart. More than that, when it comes to fashion in particular, it’s exciting to see designers celebrating South Asian culture with designs that feel more current and relatable. This type of fashion does more than just look fabulous though, it helps to bridge the gap between cultures and bring down stigmas about what South Asian fashion is and can be.

Some designers are doing an incredible job of shining a spotlight on South Asian culture with a twist that appeals to many populations. Check out our list of South Asian designers to keep an eye on if you’re looking for that perfect blend of East meets West!

Madiha Jamil Dhanani

How 5 Talented Designers Are Celebrating Their South Asian Roots In The World Of Western Fashion: After creating fashion and lifestyle content for years, making the leap into designing clothes that fit her unique background and needs (especially when she was finding it difficult to locate pieces in stores) was a natural next step. Photo Credit: www.instagram.com @madzdhanani

Madiha Jamil Dhanani is born in America, but is of Pakistani descent. Many of us can relate to this narrative, where you are trying to find the right balance between the cultures that make you uniquely you. In fact, Dhanani explains that she “…once struggled with what felt like a dual identity of being both Pakistani and American. It often felt like she wasn’t “Pakistani enough” or “American enough,” but eventually, she learned to embrace being a blend of two cultures, which she showcases through the Modern Muse Collection.” Her line, JamilbyMD is a perfect fusion of South Asian flare and western style. And, what I love is that you could easily mix pieces from her line with your existing cultural wear that will have you looking stunning in a way that feels authentic to your style and culture.

Sheel Yerneni

Sheel Yerneni founded her brand Svarini in an effort to break down the stigmas that South Asian culture often ties to the body, expression, and sexuality. Yerneni describes that in her younger years, she “…was taught that brown girls could not be both sexy and respected at the same time- that was a luxury reserved for white women- specifically thin white women. I was always trying to fight this oppressive feeling that I could not be respected in my body-that as a woman of color, I am naturally promiscuous and showing my body makes me a target to whatever disrespect or invasion that comes my way (that shitty victim blaming mentality). But hearing it from parents and your community, as rebellious as I thought I was, I had a lot of internalized shame and fear of my body and expressing my sexuality.” Over the years, she was able to work through these issues and help break the stereotypes her family had. As a result, she created her brand of clothing to help others in her position overcome these same stereotypes, though she recognizes that this may not always be the case. Yerneni explains that her “clothes [are] designed for every woman – but specifically designed to showcase that brown girl- to look and feel their best, dress according to their own tastes and rules, rather than fear of judgment or safety.” What I love about her collections is that they incorporate aspects of South Asian culture, from the patterns, to the styles, and even the names, but they are edgy and daring and it’s refreshing to see the two worlds come together in this way.

Sandeep Tupili

Sandeep Tupili moved to New York from Chennai, India, and that’s when he came across a poet’s work that spoke about the trans community. Tupili shared that this poet’s words were a turning point as “witnessing how they used their voice to challenge perceptions inspired me profoundly. Maison Tai became my passion project, dedicated to reshaping the Kanjeevaram beyond the superficial perception that it only belongs in a traditional fashion landscape. It’s a fabric that defies stereotypes, embracing all body types and genders with grace.” I love that he was so inspired to find his own voice and channel important messages into his clothing. It’s not only words that can make a statement! What’s interesting about Tupili’s brand, Maison Tai, is that it’s “crafted by generational weavers in Kanjeevaram and meticulously constructed in our atelier in Bombay, our fusion of heritage techniques and contemporary design gives birth to outfits that resonate to a global fashionista.” I really love that Maison Tai is capturing South Asian fashion in a very inclusive way, and they showcase this by demonstrating that people from all walks of life can absolutely rock a South Asian fit!

Shreya Patel

RAAS was launched in 2018 by Shreya Patel. The word raas is embedded in Indian culture. In fact, RAAS is “…synonymous with the legendary tales of Lord Krishna, this term upholds the very essence and fiber of Indian culture and beauty. “Raas.” exemplifies the amalgamation of colors, royalty, tenderness, emotions, nature and above all, creation.” However, as the company is located in the United States, the brand “caters to the modern expectations of the Global Desi—the world citizen with Indian roots, who is quintessentially Indian at heart.” Patel does a fantastic job of capturing the needs of the modern South Asian woman, while still breathing new life into the designs that make them more current and relatable for anyone to fall in love with.

Supriya Lele

Since launching her label in 2017, Supriya Lele, who is a British-Indian designer has been making waves in the industry. One thing I’ve learned about Lele, after doing a deep dive into her work, is that you’ll never know her next step. Every design she comes up with is so unique as she boldly mixes and matches fabrics, textures, draping, and textures with her own twist, while still weaving in aspects of femininity, identity, and culture. Even with all of these layers to her work, she manages to make it edgy, daring, and above all else, fashion! According to Instagram, “Lele’s work has been spotlighted and featured in publications such as British Vogue, Vogue Runway, The New York Times, Vogue Italia, Vogue India, i-D, Dazed & Confused, and The Gentlewoman, and worn by the likes of Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Charithra Chandran, Ariana Grande, FKA Twigs and more.” I think this designer is only just getting started and it’s only up from here!

Main Image Photo Credit: www.instagram.com @madzdhanani

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Author

Devika (@goberdhan.devika) is an MA graduate who specialized in Political Science at York University. Her passion and research throughout her graduate studies pushed her to learn about and unpack hot button issues. Thus, since starting at ANOKHI in 2016, she has written extensively about many challe...

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