Abacaxi Designer Interview
How This Queer Indian-American Designer Is Planning to Break Stereotypes in the Industry
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"I look at traditional South Asian garments and silhouettes, old Bollywood films and images, and fashion memories from my childhood, '90s nostalgia. I also look at my closet and see what are the pieces that I gravitate towards and brainstorm ways to expand on a similar idea. With Abacaxi, I feel like I'm building a fashion language, and now a few seasons in, you can really begin to see the shapes that form the sounds of that language. When it comes to textile design inspiration, abacaxi prints, custom embroideries, and woven fabrics are all designed in-house by me — I look to mother nature, and I like to hide personal stories into the motifs. There is a lot of storytelling behind each collection, and each print or piece."