Is Sakshi Sindwani the face of inclusivity and change in the Indian fashion industry?

The model and influencer talks about being a role model, her hope for the fashion community and her journey to get to where she is

In 2019, I was one among the first inclusive pool models for FDCI’s India Fashion Week. At that point, we had seen mid-sized and plus-sized bodies on the ramp, but they were one-off, just random additions to some shows, and never in the pool. It was the first time that FDCI was open to inclusive models in their auditions at all—we saw shorter girls, mid-sized people, transgender models. But every time I walked the ramp, I kept telling myself that I needed to walk the ramp at the India Couture Week. The status quo is different there. The teams, designers and models are different. It is as if couture is supposed to be unattainable, because there’s a certain narrow standard of beauty attached to that kind of clothing.

Is couture week the last frontier?

Last year, I walked the ramp for designers like Manish Malhotra and Shantanu and Nikhil, and the reaction and traction we got was huge. People were cheering and applauding as I walked out, and at times I got cheered on more than the actual showstopper, and designers could see that. These reactions, plus my social media following, gave me a bit of an upper hand to pitch for couture week. I spoke with designers that I knew would be ready to change things, and those that had representation as a major part of their brand story. There was a lot of back and forth because to change a narrative takes a major change of mindset too. It wasn’t like people just reached out to me, or the shows dropped in my lap. I had to go out there and prove my point: consumers and buyers wanted to see themselves in fashion too. The designers also had to bet on the idea of the representation, and they had to bet on me. People have apprehensions, because the idea that is prevalent is: why would people opt for bridal wear or couture wear if they’re not skinny, tall and perfect-looking?

It shouldn’t have to be “brave” to cast a plus-sized model, particularly at a couture show, where the point is that everything is made-to-measure, and therefore truly customisable. It’s something that should come naturally, and even more so because the average consumer in India is between the sizes of 10 and 14. People still think that garments would look prettier on women that are sample size, because that does more justice to the clothing. Put a regular-looking thin, petite model on the runway, and the clothing gets all the attention. But if you put a plus-sized model out there, with a bigger chest and curves, that’s what steals the show. People find it awkward—why should a woman with curves wear tight-fitted, glamorous clothing?

The road to change

I really wanted to change the narrative. It might have read as tokenism, and there were people who thought so as well. There was just one bigger model on the runway; did that represent real change? Was it really considered as a mindset shift? But I’m choosing to look at it very positively. It took 15 years to get here, and I don’t think it’ll take another 15 to get to a point where the pool of models at any kind of fashion show actually represent the varied groups of people that will purchase and consume that clothing. Some people said that I was the face of inclusivity in Indian fashion, and I’m happy to be that person, just so other models can run where I’ve walked. But if it were any other plus-sized girl on the runway, I would have been happy. We’re all fighting for the same thing.

I think we—as a fashion community—have a lot more to do. But I also think that if we’ve climbed one milestone, we can climb another hundred if we continue making a noise and having a conversation. I have come across mothers and daughters that have cried when they’ve met me because they finally see themselves when they look up at the runway. That is the best part of why I do this—it motivates me to make this my responsibility: once you show representation, you can’t go back to previous standards.

As told to Avanti Dalal.

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