Jun 12, 2023 [[read-time]] minute read
In celebration of Asian American Pacific Heritage Month and Pride, we brought together creators from our YouTube Shorts Creator Community and leading South Asian fashion designer, Mayyur Girotra, on May 24 in New York City. Shorts creators got a first look at Girotra’s first luxury pret line, AIKYA, ahead of its debut on June 2nd.
Girotra discussed the intersection of art and fashion in conversation with Shilpa Maniar, Lead of the Indus Google Network in New York. As Maniar recounts, “We were excited to celebrate South Asians and Pride within our community and extend the conversation beyond conventional boundaries,” where the conversation centered not only on Girotra’s career as a designer, but also on the importance of identity and belonging.
Girotra’s new collection is titled AIKYA, meaning unity, a nod at the fusion of western silhouettes with Indian embroidery and techniques, where the color palettes showcase a vibrant mix of hues and emotions to represent the LGBTQIA+ community worldwide.
Creative Director Mayyur Girotra, says that the collection pushed him out of his comfort zone, stating, "I dedicate a love letter to my LGBTQIA+ family through the lens of my craft. From concept to execution, Google employees have been strategic partners in building my vision”.
Our YouTube Shorts creators enjoyed hearing about Girotra’s story firsthand in this intimate setting, where they got to meet and collaborate with the celebrated couturier, create content together, and try on pieces from the new collection.
“This was my first time meeting an Indian fashion designer and trying on the collection before the launch. It was incredible!” shares creator Megha Singh. “Truly loved hearing the story about how he started and what led him to create a global brand. Very inspiring and his positive energy was contagious. So glad I got to experience this first hand.”
Shorts creator Ameenha Lee walking the runway during the Mayyur Girotra Show.
The collaboration continued the next week, when some Shorts creators were selected to walk at Mayyur Girotra’s AIKYA show, debuting his one-of-a-kind gender fluid collection in Soho, New York.
As APAHM came to a close and we celebrate the month of Pride, it’s wonderful to connect multiple communities to come together for an intimate discussion while collaborating and celebrating one another.
