Inside London Fashion Week’s new exhibition spotlighting South Asian designers

But the focus on textiles, while not directly translating as aesthetic reproductions of traditional wear, draws from Randhawa’s heritage. “We all have those memories of going to the fabric shop and getting a suit or a sari fitted, right?” she says. “So I thought of how I could take that and make it feel contemporary to the conversations that we’re having currently.”

“Everybody relates to their culture in different ways—through music, or film, for some it’s food…People take the presence of fabric within the home for granted. Whether that means having a traditional Punjabi manja in the house, or embroidered pillowcases or tablecloths. It wasn’t necessarily something I had to sit down and learn… it was just always present in my life.”

As part of the packed schedule for June’s London Fashion Week, Randhawa will also appear on a panel (along with journalist Maliha Shoaib, multi-disciplinary artist Darkwah and presenter Lea Ogunlami) about diversity in the UK fashion industry. The panel aims to expand the conversation, touching on whether there’s a ‘right’ kind of diversity, and pushing against points where the panellists feel that the industry’s understanding of diversity can be limited. I query gently whether Randhawa ever feels a sense of ‘diversity fatigue’ when it comes to these kinds of events. She nods emphatically. “One hundred percent. I just really strongly feel like now it’s time for action. Like, you can sit and you can do a panel talk like, you know, every week — but what is actually happening past the panel talk? You know, in terms of structure and action.

“And I think this week, this exhibition is a really great manifestation. That’s what I really believe in: action and visibility.”

Photographer/director: Tami Aftab
Production company: Amelia Studios
Director of photography: Anand Singh
Lighting Assistant: Joshua Hippolyte
Textiles Supplied: Jess Maybury
Hair and makeup: Nisha Gulati
Visual Consultant: Jahnavi Sharma
Styling Assistant: Hunter Mitchell
Set Design: Dalini Sagadeva
Models: Ace Rahman via Brother Models, Maneesha Pere Gallage via MC Barnes
Guest curator: Simran Randhawa

Also read:

Is London Fashion Week the new hub for Indian designers?

The Vogue India X Jimmy Choo party celebrated South Asian excellence in London

Ambika Mod knows you cried a lot while watching One Day. And it makes her very happy