For decades, a myriad of celebrities from around the world have put their best fashion foot forward as they hit the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. Set against the backdrop of the glamorous French Riviera, the prestigious event sees models and movie stars from around the world trying to stand out from the crowd with their looks.
With the rise of social media in recent years, a new breed of celebrity is making waves at the festival. It is the internet influencers who are no less than stars on the red carpet. Among them is Masoom Minawala, who has been a pioneer in India as a fashion and lifestyle influencer.
One of the first makers from India to walk the red carpet at the Cannes film festival, Minawala had her third outing this year, where she delivered a head-to-toe Maison Valentino look for her performance at Cannes. Styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, she wore a hot pink mini dress paired with matching tights and block heels, keeping it chic and experimental.
Minawala, who has 1.48 million followers on Instagram, talks exclusively to News18.com about her experience in Cannes, the joy of representing Indian fashion worldwide and how influencers are growing in popularity at such a prestigious event.
This is your third time in Cannes. How would you describe your association with the gala event?
My association with Cannes has always been very special; my goal was to represent my country in any capacity. It is so wonderful to see that the Indian film industry has grown over the years to the point that it is celebrated as the land of honor (in Marche du Film). I still remember the first time I walked the red carpet for Cannes, it was like a dream I could never have dreamed of. That said, it was magnificent and overwhelming in equal parts. I saw two months of hard work fly by in less than 200 seconds. Now that I have attended the event for the third time in a row I feel more comfortable and aware of the whole process and this time I managed to fly my team down to join the process help out.
You were styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania for the red carpet. How does the ensemble reflect you as a person?
Frankly, I’m someone who absolutely loves to experiment with the parameters of my personal style and Anaita has a timeless charm on her wand. So the ensemble we’ve put together by Yousef Akbar and Swarovski is a figment of both of our high spirits.
How was the experience this year? Have you had the opportunity to interact and associate with people you look up to?
The Cannes Film Festival is a great place to network with people from the media industry and frankly it is always a cultural pleasure to meet new people from the creative industry or the film world.
Walking around the world’s largest cinematic extravaganza and a global fashion event, Festival De Cannes, comes with a lot of fun and responsibility. How do you approach both and what does this opportunity mean for you?
It’s not easy to juggle tight deadlines and workload on your own, especially when a fun event like Cannes is a work trip. For two years, with my team back in India, I barely sustained the quality of my work and it took a toll on my content. I made my way through the red carpet and the responsibilities that came with it. However, this year was a personal and professional milestone for me. I invested in flying my team from India to Cannes.
Until a few years ago, red carpet appearances were limited to movie stars, but we see many influencers making their mark. To what do you attribute this change?
I think this change could be linked to a paradigm shift in the need to be more inclusive. Because of the realm of social media, the public wants people they can instantly identify with, they crave candor and a sense of community more than anything else, the global influencer industry simply strives to achieve that.
How do you think perceptions of the digital economy have changed now that content creators and fashion entrepreneurs are invited to grace the Cannes Film Festival?
It’s definitely a step forward for the maker’s economy. It is very refreshing to greet A-listers and influencers from all over the world who are united by being ambassadors for the brands we represent.
What was the most memorable moment for you in Cannes?
Definitely should represent the rich cultural heritage of a red carpet saree, but daring with a contemporary twist.
What are the top five beauty trends from the Cannes 2022 red carpet that caught your eye?
I personally love skincare infused makeup, the magic of glass skin and I also loved how embellishments were used as hair accessories.
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