Masoom Minawala© Masoom Minawala

Masoom Minawala Shares The Secret To Global Domination And Buying The Right Kind Of Shoes

Reisha Shetty
Junior Digital Writer

Masoom Minawala has taken over the world of fashion. Representing India on a global platform, the content creator often uses her social media to promote and support Indian handicrafts and handlooms, putting them on the map for people around the world. After almost 11 years, Minawala has a long string of achievements to her name including having over 1.2 million followers on Instagram and being a part of Forbes Asia 30 under 30 and CNN’s 20 under 40 lists. A fashion content creator, entrepreneur, global influencer, and investor, Masoom Minawala is a woman of many talents.

Now, Minawala is back in the city of Mumbai, to take on her responsibilities as the biggest cheerleader of a brand that is very close to her heart. Co-founded by Aradhana Minawala and Dhanraj Minawala, CAI is a vegan footwear brand that focuses on creating footwear that is trendy, comfortable, and good for the environment. With major collaborations with influencers and designers, CAI has stood out in the Indian market, making them one of the most sought-after homegrown brands. Starting a whole new journey, the e-commerce brand has now opened its first-ever store in Mumbai at the Phoenix Palladium Mall, Lower Parel, where we met up with Masoom and had a little chat.

With a front row seat to CAI’s success in the fashion industry, Minawala talks about being very fortunate to witness this growth. “The way CAI has managed to translate its personality, community, and growth from screens to a physical retail space has been a vision come to life. From starting with a pop-up at a flea market to having their own retail store, this is a huge win for the brand and I couldn’t be prouder,” Minawala shared.

And considering her close association with the brand, we decided to get Minawala to reveal some of her shoe mantras. The entrepreneur shares, “Personally, footwear plays a very dominant role in my personal style! In fact, not many people know this but shoes were the forte of my start-up.” She then added, “Before making any shoe investments I make sure the right pair of soles champion both comfort and style. Apart from that, I look for colours, surfaces, and textures that can easily complement every look.”

Known for blending her culture with fashion, Minawala’s eccentric yet authentic style is always the talk of social media. “My personal style is a melange of the cultures I have grown up with and the ones I have absorbed. It’s a little too diverse to be put in one word but I would like to think of it as a cusp between Indian textiles and western silhouettes,” she says. Many people around the world look up to her when it comes to finding their own personal style. The fashion content creator even shared three essential fashion pieces that every girl must invest in—”a crisp white shirt, a pair of chic nude stilettos, and classic oversized stud earrings.”

When she is not serving some major fashion moments on Instagram, Minawala is busy setting the red carpet on fire. Taking on the Cannes Film Festival for the third time, this year, Minawala gave us some of the most iconic looks of all time. When asked which was her favourite look from the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, she admitted, “I am someone who loves to experiment with fashion while embracing my dynamic style. And the look that challenged me the most this year was the pink Yousef Akbar gown. The hue of pink was a statement in itself but additionally juxtaposed with the blue aquamarine neckpiece, it was just stunning.” The global influencer wanted to bring in an effortless blend of maximalism and minimalism, and considering the response on social media and the verdict from sartorialists, she emulated it perfectly.

Let’s be honest, Minawala is a force that isn’t going to stop anytime soon. With her business-led initiative, Empowher, Minawala wants people to remember her not only as a fashion influencer but also as an entrepreneur who wants to bring in a change and empower the people around her while giving Indian art, culture, and artisans much-deserved global recognition—and that’s what sets her apart from any other influencer today.