Fashion / Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week

Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week

Fashion Sep 28, 2022

by Mrinalini Sundar

It was a momentous occasion or the South Asian community especially in the fashion world. September 8th to 14th saw the first-ever South Asian New York Fashion Week (SANYFW), taking place at multiple locations around Manhattan during New York Fashion Week.

Conceptualized by fashion entrepreneurs and co-founders Shipra Sharma and Hetal Patel, the six-day, high-fashion extravaganza will include couture, bridal, and pret runway shows, presentations with various brand partners, a marketplace showcasing eclectic jewelry, apparel, and accessories, and a wellness hub to round out the high energy week. The show had a mix of established to emerging designers all celebrating fashion and the community all at once. “Lehenghas turned into co-ord sets. Sarees turned into gowns with drapes. Palazzo pants became wide-legged pants. We want to reclaim that narrative and introduce the world to the origins of these silhouettes and designs. At SANYFW, we intend to highlight and share the history of our fashion and culture, while celebrating the fashion pioneers who have been trailblazers for our community universally,” said founder and CEO Sharma during the SANYFW event.

Some of the top names at the show included Nomi Ansari, Mayyur Girotra, Rivesse, Margi, and Shili. Some of the emerging designers included Recover Season, Aariah by Sabbineni featuring Avigna Fine Jewels, Kalamandir Fashions, Bedi NYC, Moire, RKJ, Pali, AKS Mathur and Tai by Studio 9696.

*Stay tuned for our overall highlights from that week!

In the meantime, we spoke to Sandeep Tupili the founder of Tai by Studio 9696 and about his experience at the first SANYFW. We also picked our favourite looks from his show.

Indian Matchmaking fame Nadia Jagessar walked in a beautiful one-shoulder dress

Nadia Jagessar walked for Tai by Studio 9696 as part of the SANYFW. — **Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian Fashion Week: Nadia Jagessar**. Photo Credit: Sukhmani Kaur

Talking about his line, Sandeep says, “My line was inspired by the Kancheepuram temple located in Tamil Nadu, India. The idea was to create clothes that were inspired by the thought that, some things might wear out over time but they still stand strong and look extremely beautiful. The skirts were inspired by the way women in the South wear saris when they are walking or doing household work. It is tucked in a little at the hip so the length becomes a litter shorter. They just need it to be more comfortable so they can do their work comfortably. So the skirts are not floor-length but a little shorter. I was sure to create a line that fits all age groups, and different genders and is extremely fluid.”

2. Pragathi Guruprasad is a Singaporean-American playback singer who had a small role in the American comedy-drama Never Have I Ever. She walked the runway in a ravishing blazer, blouse, and skirt.

Talking about the blazers Sandeep designed for the line, he said, “We were particular not to contour blazers to the body. We made them boxy, and the skirts almost look like sarongs that can be worn by both men and women. ”

3. Social media influencer and choreographer Jainil Mehta walked the runway showcasing bright pink silk co-ord sets and paired them with cool sunglasses.

Jainil Mehta at the SANYFW. — **Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week: Jainil Mehta.** Photo Credit: Sukhmani Kaur

The choreographer who is known for performing in skirts walked the runway and also blew the audience’s mind with henna on his hands. Which brought us to our next question for Sandeep. In fashion, gender lines are blurred. What is your take on that? To which, he said, “Gender lines were created by us to make more sales. When you create an outfit that can be worn by two different people then sales come down. It was a mindset that was created a long time ago to differentiate between people and not just in fashion but in different spheres and industries where they made sure one gender was more powerful than the other. So to me, blurring the lines in fashion has been very personal and fluid. My brand creates outfits that will look effortlessly stylish when born to both genders. ”

4. South Asian social media influencer Kiki Raj wore a stunning one-shoulder pink zari top and skirt

Social media influencer Kiki Raj wore a beautiful pink dress — **Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week: Kiki Raj.** Photo Credit: Sukhmani Kaur

Silk sarees are one asset that belongs to the re-wear culture. That has also been one of the main inspirations for Sandeep’s collection. Talking about this trend, he said, ” Rewear culture is a part of who I am especially because I have seen my mom wear sarees that are over 30-40 years old and they don’t die out. I have realized that fashion trends do come back and fashion doesn’t necessarily have to be about creating trends but are timeless classics with a lot more colours. The Kancheevaram silks are usually bright with beautiful colours that won’t lose its appeal. Rewear and slow fashion has been in my DNA from the time I was young. I believe anything in trend today will come to trend tomorrow, so I am very choosy about throwing away things. My brand is all about creating these timeless pieces that can be paired with other things in your wardrobe which make them current and playful.”

5. Drisya Reghuram is a dancer, choreographer, content creator who walked the runway in an absolutely ravishing green blouse and a skirt-turned-sarong all made from Kancheepuram silk

Drisya Reghuram is also a dancer, choreographer, content creator who walked the runway in a absolutely ravishing green blouse and a skirt — **Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week: Drisya Reghuram.** Photo Credit: Sukhmani Kaur

We absolutely love how the blouse has collars and has complete zari throughout the sleeves. This show has been extremely important for Sandeep as he is bringing a little bit of his South Asian and South Indian roots to his collection. “A few years ago, conversations about South Asians were very different. It was a fight for space. You had to be on top of the game to be there. But today after a lot of TV shows such as Indian Matchmaking, Bridgerton, and Never Have I Ever, people started realizing that everyone has space. I feel like there is more space for a combined voice than to be a single voice. South Asian Fashion Week for me is like that – it is a platform for every designer who was doing their own thing in a small way. It is a great initiative and I am honored to be a part of it, especially the first South Asian fashion Week because this is the beginning and this is how you move up.” He added, “I also feel like, at other fashion weeks, there would just be one South Asian designer who will be showcasing. It was more about inclusivity and having us over, but the SAFW is catered to the community so it gathers more attention and is visible to a larger audience as they are curious to see what is happening. It is a contentious portrayal of South Asian fashion and designers that it creates a lot more impact.”

Mrinalini Sundar

Author

Mrinalini Sundar (new_girl_in_to) has worked with various Indian national, international publications including Times Of India and is currently based out of Toronto. She's constantly in search of high adventure, exotic food, and new experiences. She is the happiest amidst mountains, with no wi-fi.

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Our Fave 5 Looks From Tai by Studio 9696 at South Asian New York Fashion Week

by Mrinalini Sundar

Mrinalini Sundar

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