Anita Rani - Presenter, Desi DNA
I had my reservations because I’m a normal lass who wears normal clothes, but I fell in love with the sari the moment I saw it. Being traditional, elegant and simple, a sari epitomises the beauty of Asian women. Hell, if my stomach wasn’t so hairy I’d wear one all the time. I love the fact that you can dress up by wearing a sari in a gorgeous silk material, or you can throw it on as a casual outfit if it’s made from cotton. You can wear it at a posh dinner, or like Esha Deol did at the 25th Filmfare Awards, you can go clubbing in it. There’s nothing more feminine than a crisp sari and it makes me feel connected with who I am as an Asian.
Tim Kash - Presenter, MTV
It's not often I get a chance to wear some proper traditional Asian clothes – but the last time I did, it was a truly memorable occasion. I flew over to India for my best friend’s brother’s wedding and I was privileged enough to be part of the groom’s entourage. Wearing the full fantastic regalia – a bejewelled turban, the sherwani, kirpan, mojri – was as close to feeling like a prince as I'll probably ever get. Asian fashion is about capturing culture, which is why We're Asian, Wear Asian it’s so exuberant and intricate. You can tell the sheer amount of craftsmanship that goes into a well-made Asian outfit; the blood, sweat and tears poured into it makes it stand alone as a piece of art. An incredible thing about it is that even though Asian clothes are loose, free-flowing and less constricting. I’m by no means an expert on fashion, but I think it’s fair to say that Asian designers (both conventional and contemporary) have pioneered the use of vibrant colour and detail in textiles, as well as inspiring the western world of fashion.
Hard Kaur - Rapper and Asiana music columnist
They aren’t just clothes to me, I feel like they’re a part of my identity as a British Asian. I loved playing dress-up as a kid, and now I love fusing my Asian outfits with western clothes. For instance I love teaming a sari up with a boob tube. I don’t like wearing off-the-shelf clothes and I always want to look and feel sexy, so I take my inspiration from films and fashion mags. Put it this way, if I want to feel special and dress up, there’s nothing better than an Asian outfit to make me feel like a million dollars.
Raghav - Singer
As you’ll have noticed – I wear kurta tops as often as I can – but you’re mad if you think I’m getting on a horse in a flimsy sherwani. Think about it girls! But seriously, I don’t feel like there are enough places that do trendy Asian clothes for guys; a lot of the time I have to cut up clothes I buy to make them a bit funkier because most of it looks the same. I’d really like to see up-and-coming Asian designers take on European fashion shows. My personal preference would be an Asian top that isn’t too long or short – you know, like how Lenny Kravitz wears it. If any Asian designer reading this can sort me out on that front – you know where to find me!
Nitin Ganatra - Actor
Up until now Asian clothes have been quite frustrating because either I’m becoming a gay or am turning into a woman, but we don’t seem to have much of a choice when in comes to colour and style. And although I look good in a sari, I prefer to dress as a man. But things are starting to change thanks to new British Asian designers taking into consideration that men can wear more than a vest and lunghi. I’d like to wear Asian clothes more often, but sadly the weather doesn’t permit it for guys; girls are used to wandering around barely naked in mini skirts so it’s alright for them. The biggest advantage is that there’s plenty of space to dangle one’s tackle, and there is a lot of room for flexibility.
Posts
