As a girl, she never saw faces like hers in magazines.
Gap’s latest campaign has gone viral worldwide, but for many South Asians, one moment stood out most: seeing Lara Raj proudly showcasing her cultural identity.
The ‘Better in Denim’ campaign launched on August 19, 2025, featuring Katseye, the global girl group rapidly gaining international fame.
Styled in bold Y2K-inspired looks, they performed to Kelis’s iconic track ‘Milkshake’.
The advert quickly became Gap’s most viral to date, drawing comparisons to Beyoncé’s early denim shoots.
It sparked conversation not only for its style but also for its inclusivity.
For holiCHIC designer and CEO Megha Rao, spotting the ad during a shopping trip with her daughter became an emotional reminder of changing times for South Asian visibility.
In an Instagram post, she wrote that her daughter questioned why she photographed the ad, seeing it as normal.
Rao reflected that representation once felt unimaginable in her own childhood.
She explained that as a girl, she never saw faces like hers in magazines.
For her daughter, seeing South Asian models in mainstream campaigns feels entirely natural.
Rao added that while brands are often criticised for cultural missteps, it is equally important to celebrate them when they get representation right.
She praised Lara Raj’s role in the campaign.
Raj, who represents Katseye alongside fellow members Daniela, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae, responded emotionally to Rao’s words.
She shared how deeply the moment resonated with her own journey.
“This made me cry,” she wrote. “It was always my dream to have Indian, especially South Indian representation as a little girl, and I always longed for it.”
She continued: “It’s my number one mission to make sure brown girls growing up and the entire South Asian community feel uplifted, powerful and confident.”
“I never want the babies growing up to have no experience feeling underrepresented or not seen the way I and so many others did.”
Lara Raj ended by promising:
“I will continue to showcase our beautiful culture with everything I do and bring it to the forefront.”
Katseye, formed in Los Angeles in 2023 through Hybe and Geffen Records’ Dream Academy, has quickly become a rising global act.
They debuted in 2024 with singles like ‘Touch’.
Their second EP, Beautiful Chaos, released in June 2025, reached number four on the Billboard 200, confirming their international reach.
The group now balances music and fashion seamlessly.
The Gap campaign has earned an estimated £1.3 million in media value, outperforming earlier promotions and setting new records for brand engagement on Instagram and TikTok.
Katseye’s fashion credentials continue to grow, with appearances at Coach’s Spring-Summer 2025 show, Fendi’s centennial campaign and collaborations with Glossier, Pandora, Lush and Urban Outfitters.
Their music has also reached new heights.
Singles such as ‘Gnarly’ entered both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart, while ‘Gabriela’ featured actress Jessica Alba in its video.
For Lara Raj, however, the viral campaign is about more than numbers.
It represents a breakthrough in cultural visibility that younger generations can now take for granted.
Her words echo Rao’s sentiment that true progress lies in normalising South Asian presence across mainstream fashion and media.
For many, this Gap ad symbolises exactly that.
Watch Gap’s viral ‘Better in Denim’ campaign here.
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