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It’s starting to feel a lot like Diwali in London. Also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, Diwali spans five days and usually falls in late October or early November. This year, Dhanteras will mark the official start on 29 October, with Diwali taking place on Friday 1 November. However, celebrations in London are already set in motion, with the British Fashion Council (BFC), Cartier and Condé Nast Traveller, and Creed among those hosting events this week in the capital.
Anita Chhiba, founder of Diet Paratha, a London-based platform championing South Asian creativity, notes that “the interest in spending power is astronomical when you look at the stats. South Asians are the second largest ethnic demographic in the UK. Ignoring something like Diwali is missing a trick.” However, she emphasises that brands must approach the festival with cultural sensitivity. “Every brand needs to explore this space and tap into the global spending power, but they must honour the religious and spiritual significance of Diwali. This is where collaborations are key.”
The need for authenticity
This marks the second year in a row that Cartier is partnering with Condé Nast Traveller on a Diwali event. This time around, the event is being held at The Dorchester hotel on Park Lane. Laurent Feniou, managing director of Cartier UK, explains: “As a maison, we have a historic and meaningful connection to India. Jacques Cartier, one of our three founding brothers, famously embarked on a journey to India in 1911, establishing a relationship that led to today’s iconic Tutti Frutti collection.” He adds that the celebration extends to retail, with an exhibition at Cartier’s New Bond Street boutique featuring early Tutti Frutti pieces, including a bracelet dating back to 1925 and carved emerald creations from the 1920s. Feniou attributes the success of the event to its collaboration with Condé Nast Traveller global editorial director Divia Thani.
Chhiba agrees, stressing the importance of culturally relevant partnerships. “When Cartier works with Condé Nast Traveller and Divia Thani, you know they’re looking at the event from a cultural perspective,” she says. Chhiba previously worked with fragrance brand Byredo on a Diwali-related project for the launch of its fragrance Mumbai Noise, which was created by Byredo founder Ben Gorham, who is of Canadian and Indian heritage. The launch coincided with Diwali, and Diet Paratha curated a UK event where 10 artists from Mumbai and the diaspora reimagined a giant bottle of the scent. “It was only fitting,” says Chhiba, “considering the brand’s exquisite candle range — a traditional gifting item for Diwali, the festival of lights”.
Chhiba’s Diet Paratha has partnered with other UK-based brands on Diwali-related projects, including The Bicester Collection. “It’s nice to see the West embrace more of our culture and have allies within brands that truly want to amplify the good — especially since Diwali is about the triumph of good over evil,” she reflects. Chhiba believes high-profile events, like the extravagant Ambani wedding, have made brands realise just how fruitful Indian festivities can be.
As Thani explains, “For international brands, it’s a question of business priorities. Today, India is a major growth market for brands that have seen disruption in places like Russia and China. They’re doubling down. There’s also increasing awareness of the economic strength of the global Indian consumer. They might hold different passports, but they identify culturally as Indian, and their influences come from the subcontinent.”
Inclusivity in fashion
The rise of Diwali celebrations also ties into the increasing focus on inclusivity in fashion. “Our Diwali party is an appreciation of Indian culture,” says BFC CEO Caroline Rush. “Joining forces with [sustainable label] Bags of Ethics felt like a natural follow-on from our celebration dinner with leading South Asian creatives as part of our 40th-anniversary celebrations for London Fashion Week.” It’s an event Rush hopes will become a permanent fixture on the BFC’s calendar. Bags of Ethics, a company producing responsibly made bags in Pondicherry, India and founded by Dr R Sri Ram, who is part of London’s diaspora, has collaborated with the BFC for 15 years.
“Although our HQ is in London, our factory in Pondicherry is where the magic happens. The values of Diwali — peace, hope, light — and the incredible crafts of South Asia deserve a place in the heart of London and beyond,” Sri Ram says. “As the second and third generations of the South Asian diaspora come to lead some of the world’s most well-known organisations — from the government to fashion and tech to hospitality — Diwali has become a go-to event for people to celebrate their heritage and community. India has always been an important trading partner for the UK and the world; it just feels that the reawakening of this fact is gaining momentum now.”
Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder of UK-based rental platform By Rotation, has witnessed the shift firsthand. “We’ve had a 1,060 per cent increase in searches for lehengas and Indian weddings on the By Rotation app over the last 12 months,” she tells Vogue Business. “Users are now listing their South Asian designer items, realising they can make money on these beautiful but expensive outfits. Interestingly, non-South Asian users are also renting traditional outfits.” Kabra-Davies is partnering with Ayurveda-inspired (an ancient, holistic natural approach to well-being) beauty brand Fable Mane, whose sibling founders are of Indian origin. “The dress code for the night is ‘rented South Asian traditional fashion or black tie’”, she says.
This year also marks fellow Indian-founded beauty brand Kama Ayurveda’s first anniversary in the UK, its first market outside of India. In November 2023, the brand, which is owned by Spanish fashion and beauty conglomerate Puig, opened its flagship boutique in Notting Hill, as well as a concession in Harrods. To celebrate, Kama Ayurveda is hosting a Diwali event at its West London store for the second year in a row. “Diwali is about celebrating joy, renewal and the triumph of light over darkness,” says Charlotte Tezenas, general manager of Kama Ayurveda International. “It’s also a community celebration, and we want to thank our UK community for supporting the brand.”
The rise of South Asian voices in fashion, combined with the growing global spending power of Indian consumers, has encouraged brands to embrace Diwali celebrations — but this must be part of a larger strategy. As Thani points out, “The commercialisation of culture is something I’m wary of, so it’s crucial to work with people who are sensitive to this. A one-off Diwali pop-up won’t convert new consumers into loyalists. It must be part of a sustained plan.”
Looking ahead, there is potential for Diwali to become a major fixture on international brands’ calendars. Jamie Gill, founder of The Outsiders Perspective, an accelerator platform for people of colour, believes there is more opportunity. “I hope more maisons look at Diwali next year — there’s so much potential for brands. For example, Dior, it makes perfect sense, given their recent show in Mumbai and their work with the Chanakya School of Craft.”
Perhaps in time we’ll see other Indian festivals such as Holi (Festival of Colours) or Raksha Bandhan (National Siblings Day) becoming part of the global luxury calendar — provided, of course, they’re approached with the same sensitivity and respect.
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