13 Women Take the Slogan Trend to the Next Level—With a Wash of Colour On the Lids...
...and powerful words scribbled on it!
...and powerful words scribbled on it!
1AISHWARYA NAIR MATHEW, HOTELIER, THE LEELA GROUP OF“I feel, as a multi-hyphenate, it’s very hard to meet all expectations. Even of oneself. So ‘perfectly imperfect’ is the best way
to describe myself, to the world. I always strive to be the best at what I take on, but in an industry steeped in rules, it’s hard
not to step over boundaries. Hospitality always maintains a certain decorum, and being a rebel in that field really defines my
‘perfect imperfection’. I’ve always been a little avante-garde, so fitting into societal moulds has never been my cup of tea.
Perfectly imperfect is about setting your own standards; being a leader, not a follower. It’s about not limiting yourself, and
reaching for the stars. How does it get any better than this?”
Blazer dress,
Rajesh Pratap
Singh; earrings,
Valliyan by
Nitya Arora
2RAJA KUMARI, RAPPER AND“I feel that in a world
where everyone is trying
to be something they’re
not, we should stick close
to our roots and who we
truly are. Growing up in
the diaspora, my culture
became my identity.
Seeing other people wear
the Indian culture as a
‘costume’ or ‘gimmick’
pushed me to raise my
voice for the underrepresented
South Asian
women. It awakened
me to educate others
about our culture with
authenticity and passion.
And I always put my
culture first through my
music, style, and art.”
Hoodie, Huemn;
necklace, Swarovski;
headband, Deepa
Gurnani
3NISHKA LULLA,“‘Girl power’ is one slogan that celebrates women empowerment and confidence. Women make up for more than 50 percent
of the world’s population and we’re a force to be reckoned with. I’ve grown up watching The Powerpuff Girls, and while it might
just be a cartoon, it teaches one so much about what girls can achieve. All through my life, I’ve had some exceptional female
figures—including my mum—who have inspired me to go after my dreams. And that’s why these words drive me more than
anything else in the world.”
Gown, Gauri & Nainika
4TOSHADA UMA,“‘Fight back’ is what I
constantly tell myself,
and I want it to be
etched into everyone’s
conscience. Nobody
will fight for you, you
must fight for your own
causes. Our opinions
are important, valid
and must be voiced;
they absolutely cannot
be shushed in times
of trouble. If you think
you’re oppressed by
causes that are societal
or communal, rage
against the system and
support shall follow if it
has to... Nevertheless,
make your place and
stand your ground. Not
only must you fight the
problems around you,
you must also fight the
vices within you. Do not
give into the negativity
in your mind and never
let yourself think that
you’re weak either.
Fight your thoughts if
they ever tell you your
battles are not worth
fighting for. And I want
this to be an echo in the
back of our minds, so
that we remember to
fight back—especially
when times get rough."
Bodysuit, H&M;
earring, Outhouse
5LIRMINTA RONGPIPI,“I used to be that
person who constantly
cared about what
others thought of me.
And that’s why I was
always afraid to think
of myself, and do
what I wanted to do.
You know how people
are, they label you as
selfish if you even think
of putting your own
needs before others’.
But I soon realised
that by doing that, I
was doing a disservice
to myself. That’s why
my life’s motto is self
love—I have vowed
to do what’s best for
me, and help myself,
before I do the same
for others. I believe
that by putting myself
first, I can empower
myself. However, that
doesn’t mean that I’m
an *sshole, who simply
doesn’t care for other
people...I just don’t
want to lose myself in
the process.”
Dress,
Forever 21;
jacket, Zara;
choker, Olivia
Dar; earrings,
her own
6DEEPIKA DEEPTI, BUSINESS HEAD, ADIDAS ORIGINALS AND ADIDAS“Passion and compassion are the two ingredients that are essential to a fulfilling life. To succeed, you have to believe in
something with such passion, that it becomes a reality. It is what drives excellence and brings in perseverance, the ingredients
you need to go that extra mile for exceptional results. Compassion, on the other hand, gives me a greater purpose to life. I
believe in being compassionate towards all beings, especially animals. Just because they can’t speak doesn’t make them less
deserving of food, a home, and a good life.”
Top, Adidas Originals;
earrings, Nimai
7KHUP S HANGSING, ARTIST AND FASHION DESIGNBeing someone with a
feminine energy, it’s a given
that you’ll be mocked for
whatever you strive to do.
But I’m a hustler. I don’t
come from a privileged
background and I’ve always
had to stay strong to make
things happen for me.
Chasing my dreams is the
only thing that keeps me
going. Of course, there are
days when I’m like, ‘F*ck
it’, but then I find the drive
to start again, because I
know it’s worth it. It’s my
coping mechanism to fight
the odds and find my place
in the world!”
Sports bra,
Hunkemöller;
dress, Forever
21; earrings,
Olivia Dar
8SHREYA SONI, FOUNDER, DELHI SECRET SUPPER“It’s 2018, yet we live in trying times that
are laced with divisive and negative vibes
and policies. Love is love...irrespective from
which quarter, being, or border it comes
from. And there couldn’t be a more pivotal
and relevant time to embrace the philosophy
of diverse and inclusive love. I’m a strong
advocate of ‘inclusive love’, personally
and professionally. From an early age, I
was sensitised to the LGBTQIA community
and some of my closest pals are gay. I’m
also an animal activist, and have a special
fondness for Indies—you can call me their
unofficial PR representative. But this isn’t just
a topical issue for me, it’s a way of living...
And probably the only way we can heal as a
broken and fragmented community.”
Hoodie, Forever 21; trench coat, Michael
Kors; earrings, Swarovski
9VASUDHA RAI, COLUMNIST AND“My life’s motto is peace and love because these are the only two things that matter. You can have everything, but if you don’t
have peace of mind or if you don’t know how to love, you will never be happy. Whatever I do, I do it from a place of love. Be
it yoga (which I’m passionate about), my writing, or even the food I cook...everything is made with love. It’s the one element
that makes everything successful. However, to be able to do everything from a place of love, you need to be at peace with
yourself—that’s why they go hand in hand. It’s not that I don’t get agitated, but these words remind me to let go of grudges
quickly, because the longer one holds on to negativity, the more it destroys them.”
Top, Zara;
choker, Swarovski
10MEERA SAKHRANI, MAKE-UP“As we grow older, we’re expected
to behave in a certain way...give in to
societal pressures and behavioural
conduct. And because of that, we lose
our true selves, turning into clones of
each other. I decided very early in life
that I won’t be that person. Which is
why ‘stay wild’ are the words I live by—
it sums up my life’s motto perfectly.”
Jacket, Nought One by Abhishek Paatni;
earrings, Ayesha Accessories
11SHREYA JOSH,“I’m a very shy person, and all my life, people have
been coaxing me to be more vocal and talkative.
They think that being this soft, quiet person, you
won’t be able to stand up for yourself. But you could
be part of a rebellion, and still be a tender person.
That’s very important to me; to always be empathetic
and compassionate. Even if you want to put your
point across to someone, you could do it in a gentle
manner. That’s the reason my life’s goal is to stay soft
and tender—it’s just my personality, you know. And
I wouldn’t want to change that just because people
think I should be a certain way.”
Bodysuit, Calvin Klein Undewear;
earrings, Accessorize
12SHIKHA AHLUWALIA, CO-FOUNDER,“The Latin phrase, ‘Per aspera ad astra’, which means
‘through the rough, to the stars’, is something that I live
by. But I also have a go-to motto whenever I am in the
zone, which is: make sh*t happen! And that’s why I chose
the words ‘no ceiling’—because once I set my mind to
something, nothing can stop me. And even if there were
any, I would blow it up (metaphorically, of course!). Since
I’ve grown up watching strong women, I’m constantly
inspired by their drive to break the mould and achieve
absolutely anything they want. And these values go into my
design work at stalkbuylove.com as well.”
Top, stalkbuylove.com; choker, Accessorize; necklace,
Forever 21
Styled by: Zunaili Malik and Samar Rajput;
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