"Makes me so proud to celebrate my beautiful culture"
Some of the most popular British Asian figures are the new faces of H&M’s 2022 Diwali collection.
The release features the likes of Nikkita Chadha, Neelam Kaur Gill, Shiva Raichandani, Simran Randhawa and Shraddha Vatnani representing their culture.
The campaign is a huge step in fashion diversity and hones in on the Festival of Light as a focal point.
Bringing the colours of Diwali to life, the collection uses the vibrancy of the occasion as the inspiration for the pieces.
The limited drop features sequined dresses, sparkling cropped tops and textured jumpsuits.
The collection also has an array of accessories and make-up for people to spice up their Diwali ensembles.
Upon news of the collection, the faces of the new line spoke of their gratitude and excitement for such a cultural stride within fashion.
British Asian supermodel Neelam Gill said on Instagram:
“Makes me so proud to celebrate my beautiful culture with such a huge brand.
“Representation is SO important. Growing up, I always felt excluded from fashion – and never saw anyone that looked like me in mainstream media – so this moment means a lot.”
Fellow model and writer/actor, Simran Randhawa, expressed her happiness also:
“I used to be obsessed with the models, needless to say, they didn’t look like me so shooting for this Diwali campaign feels very weirdly full circle.
“Showing up as myself and getting a moment to celebrate our culture in London, with others, feels special!”
Non-binary British Indian artist, Shiva Raichandani, highlights the extent of this collection’s inclusivity and they took to social media, stating:
“H&M put me in a sparkly outfit with hot fancy pants for their latest campaign?!?! With other Desi hotties who are ACTUAL famous models!? Are you kidding me???! Super wild!
“This has been such a beautiful experience, one that’ll keep reminding me of all the years I spent raiding their stores (in Jakarta, Hong Kong, and London!).
“Thank you to the team who had gorgeous people from the global majority involved in making this happen. this is huuuuge.”
However, the popular high street store did not stop there and wanted their shoppers to understand the importance of Diwali.
Speaking to some of the figures involved, they asked what Diwali meant to them. Actor and dancer, Nikkita Chadha revealed:
“One of my earliest memories is lighting all the candles in the house and using colourful rice powder to make Rangoli patterns with my mum outside our front door.
“We eat the most amazing food, wear gorgeous clothes and celebrate the Festival of Light.”
Digital creator, Shraddha, added her memories of the festival and said her favourite thing is:
“We spend so much time making memories and creating bonds but at the same time, there is so much fun and craziness!”
The perfect balance of family, tradition and celebrations rings out with this collection.
It’s a party-perfect style and there are daring and more conservative pieces that suit every fashion need.
The mix of colours, modern cuts and unique sentiment of each fabric is fabulous.
Not only is this a massive step for South Asian representation but the clothes on show emphasise the vividness of Diwali as a whole.
Take a look at the collection here.
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