South Asian New York Fashion Week needs to do better in uplifting marginalized cultures and designers within its own community

On Sept. 7 I flew into New York City for what seemed to be the most illustrious opportunity in my fashion career so far: I was selected to style at the first South Asian New York Fashion Week (SANYFW). Up until this point, South Asian fashion was only given a small sector within New York Fashion Week. This was the first time the South Asian fashion community was able to run a whole week of shows and events dedicated purely to South Asian fashion. I, a college student with minimal experience, was given an opportunity to participate in a project that was revolutionary. SANYFW was as industrious, fast-paced and luxurious as one may imagine. From attending shows on Wall Street and Chelsea Factory to meeting Versha Sharma, the editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, and other influencers I had been following for years, I felt that I had more than dipped my toes into the contemporary fashion pool.

How did I get involved?

I believe that I earned this opportunity because it came from within my South Asian community, a community to which I had the initiative to reach out. Through contacting SANYFW through all their platforms, along with sending them an email with my resume, cover letter and portfolio, I soon got in touch with Hetal Patel, the COO of SANYFW. From there I created a sample portfolio of looks I would style the CEO and COO with. I spent three days…