From Baghpat To Cannes: Meet Nancy Tyagi, Indian Influencer Who Made Cannes 2024 Debut In Self-Stitched Gown
Nancy Tyagi at Cannes 2024: Nancy’s journey from Baranwa village in the Baghpat district to the French Riviera has not been an easy one, it is a story of grit, determination, and hard work.
Nancy Tyagi at Cannes 2024: Indian fashion influencer Nancy Tyagi made her Cannes 2024 debut in a beautiful pink gown that was designed and stitched by her. The pink ruffled gown weighed 20kg and was made from 1000 meter fabric and it took her one month to complete her red-carpet dress. Nancy had been getting accolades from all quarters ever since she posted pictures of her look. Brut India’s video featuring Nancy on the red carpet has garnered more than 24 million views in less than 24 hours and has been shared by celebrities like Sonam Kapoor and Uorfi.
Who is Nancy Tyagi
Nancy’s journey from Baranwa village in the Baghpat district to the French Riviera has not been an easy one, it is a story of grit, determination, and hard work. She moved to Delhi from her village before the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for the UPSC exam.
View this post on Instagram
“My mother started working in a factory after we moved to Delhi. My father refused to support us financially as he didn’t want me to move outside for further studies. My mother was my rock and brought me to Delhi against our family’s wishes. She would come home covered in coal dust every day, doing physical labour there, just to fulfill my dreams,” Nancy told Better India in an old interview.
Nancy's content creation journey
The lockdown placed immense strain on their financial resources, casting uncertainty over Nancy's future. Nancy's primary goal was to provide a better life for her mother, who had endured exhausting work in a factory. Determined to prevent her mother from continuing such a hard life, Nancy bought a camera, lights, and phone from the remaining funds to start content creation.
According to Better India, Nancy started posting videos of herself wearing self-stitched clothes, shot by her brother for 1.5 years but the videos didn’t generate views and that is when she started doing Meesho hauls, which grabbed eyeballs but in a negative way, and she was trolled and often body shamed.
“We were very dedicated to this project. I put in as much effort and took it as seriously as I would my UPSC classes. So when nothing worked, we decided to do some weird acting which people might find ‘cringe’. I was helpless. It was a do-or-die situation,” Nancy told Better India.
Nancy's "Outfit from scratch" series
After gaining traction with her videos, Nancy launched a 100-day series called "Outfits from Scratch." This series marked a turning point, as her videos began receiving positive responses, and netizens started recognising her talent. Nancy's videos often featured a black sewing machine, a poster of Shah Rukh Khan, and a mirror, where she showcased her process of sewing and modeling her handmade dresses.
View this post on Instagram
“I just made the first reel on a whim. People loved it and started praising me. They realised that this was my talent. After 10 videos in this series, I knew that this is what I had to do,” Nancy said.
She then recreated many celebrities and designer looks, gaining praise from all over. There was no looking back for the talented influencer, who was also nominated for the National Creator Awards.
Nancy's Cannes 2024 red carpet look
Nancy posted her pictures from Cannes on Instagram with the caption, “Stepping onto the red carpet at the 77th Cannes Film Festival as a debutant feels surreal. I poured my heart and soul into creating this pink gown, which took 30 days, 1000 meters of fabric, and weighs over 20kg. The journey has been intense, but every moment was worth it. I'm overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the love and support from all of you. This is a dream come true, and I hope my creation dazzles you as much as your support has inspired me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
View this post on Instagram
Netizens' reaction
Netizens showered the post with love and appreciation for the fashion influencer. Content creator Komal Pandey wrote, “hard work and talent in equal parts. you’re legendary, Nancy. this will go down in the books. ❤️”
“The happiest I’ve been for someone I don’t personally know! ❤️,” wrote a user.
“Ommmgggg🙌🙌 you are a queen my love 🥹❤️ you prove that dreams can come true!!! To this and to more❤️ we love you,” read a comment.
“TRUE BLUE ICON ON AN INTERNATIONAL RED CARPET. Feels like a personal win ❤️,” wrote another user.
“Feels like a personal win!!! Kitni pyaari lag rhi hai aap @nancytyagi___ ❤️,” another user wrote.
A new machine hums in Nancy's transformed workspace, but her talent, now gaining recognition, remains unchanged.