In the early 2000s, there was supermodel Ujjwala Raut, YSL’s Indian muse. Then in 2021, after almost a decade, Priyanka Chopra Jonas was chosen by Bvlgari as its brand ambassador. And now with Deepika Padukone representing LV and Alia Bhatt as Gucci’s Indian face, we have come a full circle.
From the Rs 5 lakh double-breasted Gucci denim trench coat on denim trousers airport look to the black dress with cut-out detailing, black platforms and Rs 2 lakh Gucci Jackie 1961 transparent bag (which, she giggled, “carried nothing”) look at Gucci’s cruise collection show in Seoul, Alia Bhatt is rocking the moment as the Italian luxury brand’s first Indian ambassador. She isn’t the first Indian face of a global luxury brand, however.
Before any Indian made it to the spotlights of global ramps, there was another South Asian. The fabulous Yasmeen Ghouri, a model of Pakistani-German descent known for her ‘walk of life’ (her vivacious strut and the distinctive swivel of her hips earned her this sobriquet), achieved big breakthroughs on global fashion ramps. She walked and modelled for the biggest brands, and was picked by Hermes as their first South Asian face way back in the 1990s, setting the stage for more diversity.
