Curvy is cool, says city model Saareen Khinda

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 20

Defying the societal standards of ‘beauty’, Saareen Khinda (29), a city-based plus-size model and fashion designer, has carved out a niche for herself by becoming the first oversized model in the state.

She recently got into spotlight after walking on the ramp at ‘Lotus make-up India fashion week 2019’, organised by Fashion Design Council of India.

When many persons are struggling to fit into certain merits of being likable or in certain shapes, including being tall, fair, skinny, flawless and so on, Saarreen has redefined the paradigm of beauty by embracing herself in her own body type.

She said: “Getting into modelling was never on cards, fashion designing was forsure, but being constantly criticised for having over-sized body was traumatic for me and receiving taunts from people had made me socially cornered. There was nothing I could do to change my appearance.However, I had to achieve my goals”.

“Hence, modelling happened when, during my final year of MSc Fashion Designing, I walked myself on the ramp for my own designs, at a college fashion show, as no other obese girl agreed to walk on the show,” she added.

They feared that they would be mocked upon for their appearance. Then onwards, after receiving compliments from the audience, I started doing modelling, said Saareen, who later worked as a fashion design lecturer at International Institute of Fashion Technology ( IIFT), Jalandhar.

Afterwards, she shifted to Mumbai and worked as fashion stylist for fashion shows and fashion photographers.

She said I was genetically oversised as compared to my peers and during teenage, when I couldn’t find clothes of my size, I started wearing my father’s dresses. I also used to stitch them as per my designs.

She said: “In 2015, when I planned to get married, I reduced 35-kg weight but was tough to meet the expectations of people and I realised that we could never satisfy people”.

“Hence, I joined the league of plus-size models,” she added.

She also has an Instagram blogging page where she influence people for body positivity. She also runs an official page of her clothing brand ‘Loren monnioco’, in which she not only promote clothing for oversised women but also for women of every size and shape.

Besides, Saareen, a resident of Maqsudan, is also a belly dancer and opened the show of ‘Miss plus size North India 2017’, with her performance.