Beyond the east
Beyond the east is the Ramani SS23 collection, which aims to celebrate and embody the modern Indian woman. The main source of inspiration for this collection is my Indian heritage, and my own lived experience of wanting to celebrate my culture in a more fashionable and westernised way. The collection is deep-ly connected to both sides of my family, and the contrast and coming together of Indian and British culture. The main aim of the collection is to empower women and allow them to feel effortlessly cool, confident and fashion forward whilst also embracing their culture.
Coming from a mixed heritage background I often struggled with my own identity and wanted to dress in a way that celebrated both sides of my ancestry. I believe dressing is a form of self-expression and crea-tivity that allows you to represent yourself without words. With this idea in mind, I want to create different and meaningful collections that challenge inequality and promotes inclusivity for a community I am deeply connected to. Coming from an Indian background but living in Britain, I am more inclined to wear western-ised clothing. However, I find myself searching for the feeling of celebration, beauty and elegance that I get whist wearing traditional clothing. I feel in the industry the indo-western fashion movement should be embraced and made more mainstream. The ‘Beyond the east’ collection is for the women who want to feel included in the newest styles whilst also celebrating their culture.
In the last decade Indian women are demanding the move towards gender equality and female empowerment. With the rise in Indian female role models around the world and across various fields; there is a calling for clothing that honours their culture whilst embodying their strength and power. The inclusion of collections such as this, in the industry will be seen as a protest for inclusion and allow individuals like mys I feel the ‘Beyond the east’ collection represents the modern Indian woman and redefines the way she should dress.