Masoom Minawala on Cannes Film Festival 2022: 'Great to see a boost in Indian representation on the red carpet'

Fashion entrepreneur and influencer Masoom Minawala walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the third time in a row. Speaking to us from the French Riviera, an excited Masoom talks to us about bagging an honour at the World Influencers and Bloggers Award, that took place yesterday. She also sheds light on using the global platform to bring visibility to new and upcoming Indian designers and collaborating with stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania to bring her experimental personal style to the fore at the red carpet.

Excerpts from the interview:

This is your third time at the Cannes Film Festival. Were you less nervous walking the red carpet this time around?

Three years ago when I first walked down the Cannes red carpet, I was equal parts excited, nervous, a little lost and slightly overwhelmed. But over the years, I’ve understood the process and that puts me at ease. In fact, it’s great to see a boost in Indian representation on the red carpet.

Tell us a little about the dress you wore to the red carpet. What was the exchange between you and Anaita like before she styled you?

I wore a pink gown by Yousef Akbar (fashion designer) and was styled by Anaita. I think it’s a perfect blend of the timeless ‘Anaita’s charm’ infused with my experimental personal style. There’s a legacy of breathtaking looks that she brings to the table and that paired with my impulsiveness to try something new, is a great duo.

Being a fashion entrepreneur, how do you want to use a global platform like Cannes? Is there a particular thought or value you want to disseminate through it?

Cannes has always been a hub of glamour because where there are movies, there’s glitz. To be able to celebrate the fashion and the film industries coming together is a great feeling. Naturally, I think it’s the perfect platform to express your style in a very exciting way. Unlike other red carpets, there are no themes to be dictated by the committees and therefore, your creativity with your looks can go wild.

For the past three years, I’ve always used the red carpet to bring visibility to as many new and upcoming Indian designers as possible. My aim has always been to take Indian fashion to the world.

India is the country of honour at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. What do you think a global exposure like this means to India’s art, fashion and culture?

It is a moment of great pride that India is the country of honour this year. It’s a well-deserved position because India’s media industry leads with its number, whether it is audience number, distribution rate or film numbers. Now this means that India has been creating content from the perspective of a global viewership. It’s great to see that the profound Indian art and culture that’s a cut above the rest is finally being consumed by the world.

You have been very vocal about women empowerment. With your presence at the Cannes Film Festival, what do you think it conveys about it?

Since Cannes is an international platform, I get to interact with so many people from across the globe, who are ruling their field of work. It fills my heart with so much joy to see my fellow content curators from India walk down the red carpet, most of whom are strong, independent women and it’s a great place to network. In fact, I would like to share a personal milestone here. This year’s Cannes is not only a milestone for our country but also a personal achievement for me. After attending the film festival for three years, I was finally able to scale my business and fly down my core team to Cannes. This is just reflective of my personal and professional growth over the years.

Apart from this, what made the 75th edition of the film gala special for you?

This year, I won the title of ‘Authentic Fashion Influencer’ at the World Influencers and Bloggers Award 2022 held in Cannes.

Take us through your first time at Cannes.

Yes, I was super nervous when I first walked the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival. I was alone and my team was coordinating with me from India, because at that point in time, flying down your team from different parts of the world felt like an investment that the brand couldn’t make. It was actually terrifying for me because I had no idea about the real red carpet experience. All of the weeks and days of preparation just boiled down to the 100 seconds on the red carpet. I often look back and think about how special those moments were and the lessons they taught.

Titas Chowdhury is a journalist based in Mumbai with a keen interest in films and beaches.

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