{"id":45513,"date":"2023-12-21T07:31:25","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T03:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/?post_type=articles&p=45513"},"modified":"2023-12-29T12:20:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T08:20:55","slug":"namita-sunil-cover-story","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/namita-sunil-cover-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Cover Story: Namita Sunil On “Taking Up Space” In The Fashion World"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Layered Dress, RAHUL MISHRA. Cleo Diamond Drop Earrings in Yellow Gold and Red Agate, Diamond Slip-On Necklace in Rose Gold with Red Agate, MARLI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cAs a brown girl, I want to take up space,\u201d declares Namita Sunil, model and GRAZIA cover star. Born and raised in the south of India in Kochi, Kerala, Namita always knew she had, as she describes, a \u201chunger\u201d inside her to see the world outside of her hometown, in particular, through the lens of fashion.<\/p>\n

Namita recalls being dressed in \u201cthe sweetest frocks and white dresses\u201d as a child, but perhaps there was a yearning to be able to explore more of a personal style. \u201cI grew up in a very conservative Christian household,\u201d she explains. \u201cI did start to rebel as a teenager… wearing ripped jeans and having really emo makeup.\u201d It\u2019s a stage we\u2019ve all been through, for sure.<\/p>\n

But for Namita, she explains that growing up in Kerala, she felt like her heritage and culture wasn\u2019t championed enough. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how to celebrate ourselves very much,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially just like brown skin, or curly hair.\u201d It\u2019s a part of her heritage which was perhaps downplayed, she explains \u2013 with her mother being Anglo-Indian, and having Portuguese ancestry in the family \u2013 but it was something \u201cshe held onto dearly\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly know English better than my own mother tongue,\u201d she says. \u201cBecause it was taught to us that you speak English to empower yourself with a language that\u2019s just global.\u201d However, that\u2019s not to negate the fashion that she saw in Kochi growing up, which Namita describes as a \u201csea of gold and jewel tones\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was surrounded by the jewel tones that a lot of women would wear down south, especially the shiny silk saris,\u201d she remembers. \u201cI really love that, despite the fact that we might have had an internalised view of our brown skin, it didn\u2019t stop any woman I saw on the street wear any colour, which I think really stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Printed Cr\u00eape De Chine Shirt, Black Wool Trousers, FENDI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Brown FF Twill Shirt, Brown FF Twill Trousers, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Black Animal-Print Wool Coat, Burgundy Cady Shirt, Black Wool Trousers, Black Sneakers, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Black Animal-Print Wool Coat, Burgundy Cady Shirt, Black Wool Trousers, Black Sneakers, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lilee Dress, ROKSANDA. Avenues Hoop Earrings in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, Avenues Luxe Chain Necklace in Rose Gold with Diamonds, Avenues Ring in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, MARLI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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BROADENING HORIZONS<\/h3>\n

Armed with that hunger to explore the fashion industry, Namita was particularly inspired by international lifestyle channel FashionTV, where she was exposed to different styles, subcultures, and identities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I watched FashionTV, I saw so much diversity,\u201d she recollects. \u201cI still remember that one moment where I saw this beautiful black model stomping down the runway. And then I was just like, you can\u2019t tell me that\u2019s not beautiful. So that really influenced my decision into thinking I would like to try this out. I want to take up space as a brown girl and I hope that Kerala can one day catch up to how beautiful people actually are.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the age of 17, Namita took the opportunity to leave her hometown and move to the north to the Indian capital, New Delhi. Studying fashion design at college, Namita was able to explore style and creativity like she never had before. In fact, she also found herself embracing her Indian culture more than ever before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dressed up in many different ways \u2013 I dressed more Indian than how I did back in the south. I was wearing huge bindis, huge earrings. Everything just came together really easily.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But while she was immersing herself in an industry she had so longed to be part of since she was young, it was in the throes of her studies that Namita began to realise that maybe design wasn\u2019t the path for her. She admits it was a \u201chard conclusion to come to\u201d, given the hours and work she had put into her degree, but after dabbling in modelling, it was a no-brainer that this was the path she was meant to take.<\/p>\n

While it was a huge learning curve, establishing herself as a model in the fashion space, being in front of the camera became a passion for Namita. \u201cWhen I\u2019m posing, there is something very meditative,\u201d she notes. \u201cIt\u2019s just been a very gratifying experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Black Animal-Print Wool Coat, Burgundy Cady Shirt, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Printed Cr\u00eape De Chine Shirt, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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TAKING UP SPACE<\/h3>\n

In just five years, she\u2019s travelled all across India, working for some of the most established regional designers, as well as some global fashion houses. And now she graces the cover of GRAZIA\u2019s eighth print edition, Cultural Exchange.<\/em><\/p>\n

Shooting on location in Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, Namita describes the cover shoot as \u201cthe absolute dream\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe jumped between so many different beautiful sights, there was so much colour and so many people,\u201d she says, adding they were very \u201cquietly curious\u201d, something she also notes for herself. \u201cI mirrored that back \u2013 I was also very quietly curious about my surroundings.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was incredible to be dropped into so many different types of architecture and terrain. It was just very creatively inspiring. And in between, there were just moments of very full gratitude that I had this opportunity. I would shut my eyes because the sun, but also out of gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

And as she continues to immerse herself in the different subcultures of India, Namita is ready to take on the global modelling stage and champion her culture alongside that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am from a small town, I am in a larger city and I can turn this into a strength, and really just tell myself to take up space, and that includes modelling,\u201d she says. \u201cJust being seen in the fashion industry, being able to talk about yourself and your journey, it influences every micro decision of how you present yourself to the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for me, it\u2019s taking up space \u2013 and, honestly, wearing a lot of gold.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lilee Dress, ROKSANDA. Avenues Hoop Earrings in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, Avenues Luxe Chain Necklace in Rose Gold with Diamonds, Avenues Ring in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, MARLI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Black Wool Dress, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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lack Jacquard Blouson Jacket, Black FF Jacquard Mini Skirt, Black Nappa Slingbacks, Star-Shaped Gold Hoop Earrings, FENDI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Layered Dress, RAHUL MISHRA. Cleo Diamond Drop Earrings in Yellow Gold and Red Agate, Diamond Slip- On Necklace in Rose Gold with Red Agate, MARLI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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CREATIVE DIRECTION:<\/strong> DANE\u0301 STOJANOVIC
\nPHOTOGRAPHY:<\/strong> AVANI RAI
\nSTYLING:<\/strong> LAURA JANE BROWN
\nMODEL:<\/strong> AMITA SUNIL AT ANIMA CREATIVES
\nHAIR:<\/strong> JEAN-LUC AMARIN
\nMAKEUP:<\/strong> ESHWAR LOG
\nSENIOR PRODUCER:<\/strong> STEFF HAWKER
\nDIGITECH:<\/strong> HARMAN ACHINT
\nFASHION ASSISTANT:<\/strong> CHARLOTTE MARSH-WILLIAMS
\nWORDS:<\/strong> OLIVIA MORRIS
\nWITH SPECIAL THANKS TO THE OBEROI RAJVILAS<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cTHE PINK\u00a0 CITY\u201d IS PUBLISHED IN THE 8TH EDITION OF GRAZIA MIDDLE EAST. ORDER YOUR COPY HERE.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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