“It feels so good! The fashion is back, the energy is back, the vibe is back! I’m so excited to be back in the midst of all this crazy energy!” exclaims Masoom Minawala as we manage to corner her for a chat after she walked the runway for designer Varun Bahl.
Minawala became India’s first content creator to be a part of Milan Fashion Week recently. She gave her fans insider access to everything that she got up to at the prestigious event in a series of Instagram posts and informative tutorial videos.
According to the global influencer, being a part of international and Indian fashion weeks is a major step ahead for influencers and content creators everywhere. “I’m so honoured that (Bahl) and his team decided to take me as their showstopper,” she says. The Internet celebrity elaborates on this in a post online where she wrote, “It’s the position & act that’s always been reserved and kept limited for one section of the society. This feels like an honour today because I represented everyone who didn’t feel like they had it in them to be on a stage, a platform as grand and acclaimed as this. We simply don’t belong to the 1% of people who by the virtue of fitting into the societal norms have made it to these stages, we’re the ‘rest’ who are paving the way for a positive change.”
Minawala says that there couldn’t have been a better designer for her to walk the runway for than Bahl since she absolutely loves his work, “I have always loved his work.I love the way his designs are ethereal, feminine, and so romantic,” she says, adding that the designer’s signature floral details are the highlights of his collection.
We quizzed the Fashion Week pro on the beauty hacks she’s learned over the years, her post-fashion show rituals and more!
On the beauty hacks she’s learned at Fashion Week
The influencer credits her time spent backstage with designers, make-up artists, and models for giving her inspiration to be more out-there with her beauty looks. “It’s so much fun to experiment with your looks, especially your make-up. I’ve seen so many interesting looks and techniques backstage that now I want to have fun with my make-up!” But the most important hack that she’s learned at fashion week is something we call need to follow. “Carry your make-up remover everywhere!,” she says, “You never know when you might need it.”
On surviving Fashion Week like a pro
Minawala has three commandments when it comes to getting through the hectic, yet fun and glamour-filled, week. “Hydrate, surround yourself with people who give off good energy, and eat food. We all need food!”
On the funniest thing she’s overheard at Fashion Week
The fashion influencer reveals that the funniest (and craziest, in her opinion) thing she heard was close to home at Lakmé Fashion Week itself! “I overheard someone say this WHILE I was walking down the runway, they said, ‘Is that Masoom? Why is she the showstopper?’ It’s so interesting to hear that narrative even now but it just makes me respect Varun Bahl even more for giving me the honour of being his showstopper today. It’s been a long journey for content creators everywhere.”
On her post-Fashion Week ritual
When the adrenaline of walking down the runway and being surrounded by the frantic energy from backstage wears off, how does she unwind? Turns out, the answer is very simple. “I sleep, sleep, and then sleep some more!” she says.
Want some more dish on Fashion Week? Head right here to catch up on everything that you might have missed from Lakmé Fashion Week 2022...
