Beyond The Screen: 'Hopefully Body Diversity Becomes A Fashion Week Norm': Rahi Chadda On His Expectations From Fashion Industry

In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Rahi spoke about his transition from law to fashion, his favourite makeup brands and shared his experience of walking at the Cannes And Milan Red Carpet.

Rahi Chadda Shares His Journey And Talks About His Expectations From The Fashion Industry ( Image Source :Instagram/ Rahi Chadda )

New Delhi: Based in London, Rahi Chadda is a Global Content Creator making his mark in the fashion and beauty industry. With a huge base of 1.4M followers on Instagram, he reaches audiences not only in India but also in the USA, Europe, Asia, and UAE. Recently, he walked the star-studded red carpet at Cannes and was also a part of Milan Fashion Week. Apart from that, he was also a show opener for Shantanu and Nikhil Fashion Couture 2023. Despite being a law student, Rahi Chadda decided not to make a career in the prior but to follow his inner calling and pursue his career in fashion and beauty.

In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Rahi spoke about his transition from law to fashion, his favourite makeup brands and shared his experience of walking at the Cannes And Milan Red Carpet.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

You were a law student and now you have moved into fashion and beauty. How did this transition happen?

It was a bit of a realisation for me, coming to peace with what I truly wanted for my future. I am very capable as a person, and can apply myself into anything, but because you can do anything doesn’t mean you should settle for anything but what is in your ambitions reach. I could have pursued law, I had all the resources, I studied and was being introduced to opportunities; it was what I worked towards. However, my natural talents and interests were in fashion and beauty, and I decided to hone my energy into that – look where I am now!

Why did you decide to be a beauty entrepreneur?

I had difficulties with my skin when I was younger and at the time it was all St Ives Apricot Scrubs and a lot of trends that really weren’t good for me. I remember discussing with my mother one night and she was tired of me moaning, she said, "Stop complaining and do something" and when I slept on it, I woke up with the idea to open my own clinic. Retrospectively, it is quite a jump to decide this, but I was determined, and I knew a lot of people that wanted treatments – so I thought, 'why not? I have the passion for it, and there is a demand.'

What is your go-to makeup and beauty brand and why?

I have a couple of makeup brands that I enjoy using alternatively between the summer and winter months. The Dior beauty lip range is one of my favourites and their Dior solar body oil, it lends the perfect shine to the skin especially during summer. 

Augustinus Bader also has some great skincare which I like to use as a skin prep before applying makeup. 

I’m currently really enjoying using the Youth to the People skincare range. Their Superberry hydrate and dream oil, is so soothing for the skin, especially when you’re travelling so much, and the eye concentrate cream is a life-saver! 

As you can probably tell, I prefer creating a no makeup-make up look. It’s more natural and fresh and works as the perfect transition from day to night. 

Any skincare tips that you would like to suggest for monsoon?

• Make sure to use a cleanser 2-3 times a day. Preferably, something gentler on the skin, which doesn’t strip the natural oils of your skin.
• Make sure to apply a hyaluronic acid serum to keep your skin hydrated and use SPF always, even when it’s not sunny outside.
• It’s so crucial to keep our skin protected from UV damage.

This is my tip for both men and women! 

If you have to give a fashion advice to someone what would it be?

It’s important to identify your inspiration and build a visual style guide. Assess what you own and let go of what doesn’t align and just be authentic. 

You also recently walked at the Cannes film festival. How was your experience?

Cannes is always a fun experience. A moment of celebration for the cinematic excellence and I love being able to witness that! I really enjoy the process of selecting my looks, stepping out of my comfort zone and creating a look, which reflects my own style evolution. 

You were also a part of Milan Fashion Week. Can you share some behind the scene moments of these fashion events? 

Milan Fashion Week has always been fabulous for womenswear but Men’s has been getting better and better each season. The last time I went, it was truly exhilarating, I was excited for more! In terms of trends, I will adopt the leather-on-leather trend; I have always found this to be hot, but to have a suit in yellow leather- iconic! One other trend would have to be a statement silhouette like the ’70s or ’80s, I suit a ’70s silhouette and colour palette with the flared trousers and orange hues – it compliments me well!

How do you think fashion will evolve in the coming years? What expectations do you have from the fashion industry?

There’s been a huge growth in terms of diversity and inclusivity, and hopefully, body diversity becomes a fashion week norm. 

What is the inspiration behind your looks at the fashion events?

My style as certainly evolved, and to be fair, having worked with some amazing brands, I have learnt so much that I have adopted a few things along the way. If flared jeans could be a personality, it would be mine! I like to carry light with a woven clutch, but on occasion you’ll see me with a massive Tod’s tote bag. In my every day, I like neutrals like beige because it works with my skintone, but when I do need to dress up then it needs to be a sumptuous black or bold purples, blues and reds to contrast.