Yashvi Sheth
I had the pleasure of sitting with Yashvi Sheth, a Berlin based South Asian model to talk about identity, roots, and style. Yashvi talks about what it’s like growing up in Germany where the South Asian diaspora is significantly smaller compared to the US & UK, and how seeing an ad while shopping at H&M kickstarted her modeling career.
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Your experience growing up reminds me of mine and so many South Asians I know who grew up in western countries - dismissing your Indian heritage in your younger years only to re-embrace it as you get older. Was there a seminal moment or event that occurred that marked this shift for you?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
It was never a moment. I was always connected to it but I never realized it. I grew up in a very white neighborhood and school and I was the only Indian kid, but then I went to college in Frankfurt where there were more Indian kids because it was a bigger city. But ironically they didn’t think I wasn’t connected to my roots because I didn’t watch Bollywood and I didn’t speak Hindi so I got sort of insecure about it. And now looking back, I have a whole different perspective of what it means to be Indian. It’s in everything I do, it’s within.
And people don’t think I look Indian and it actually bothers me. When I was younger, I thought it was cool because you want to fit in. But I got more assertive in being confident about it and saying I am - I am Indian. The representation of Indians in itself, almost makes it out to be a parody of ourselves. Like, yes I am Indian, but I don’t need to parade myself out there and showcase Indian culture, I want it to be very natural and go without saying. It’s a hard path, because how do you do that? How do you still attract and show people the beauty of the culture without explicitly promoting it in everything you do
1
9
9
3
How did you get into modeling? And what has your experience been as an Indian woman / model in Berlin?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I’ve always wanted to model. I was studying BA and masters in Management and Economics and people would always tell me to try and model but I never felt ready, and I didn’t ever feel like there was a demand in Germany for someone who looked like me – at least in 2014 when I got into it. When I finished my Bachelors degree, I started doing it on the side while I was doing my masters. I was always following fashion and modeling in Paris and Milan and seeing more South Asian faces popping up but in Germany, I feel like - especially in the commercial work - the diversity doesn’t have a lot of Asian representation. I remember being in H&M when I was like 17-18 years old and I saw Pooja Mor on a billboard and was like oh wow and that kind of started turning the wheels of like okay this could be a possibility for me.
1
9
9
3
Do you have any other career aspirations outside of modeling?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I really want to do things with a South Asian perspective. As a model but also starting productions in that space with South Asian talent - focusing on the storytelling and making us more visible. It’s very different in the US and the UK where there’s a bigger diaspora and for us here we look at the US & UK, like oh my god, they’re doing so many cool things there, our lives would be so different if we lived there because there’s so much of us you know? And here it’s like, a friend of mine she’s Bengali – nobody knows that she’s a South Asian as well.
1
9
9
3
On Indians burgeoning creative scene globally and Indians in the US doing creative work:
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Seeing Indian people in the creative scene - that was something new to me. Obviously when you grow up your parents kind of push you into this engineering, business, or law side of things and that’s great too, because that’s why so many Indians are doctors and CEOs and that’s great, but the creative scene was never a topic. It was something I discovered on my own. And now, I see so many artists, designers, musicians pop up - and I’m like oh my god, they’re Indian - and it sounds so dumb and naive - like whoa we can do that too. Diet Paratha is a big pioneer that helped do that. For me, I want to highlight people from the Berlin creative scene that are Indian and talk about their identity because in some ways we all have a similar experience.
1
9
9
3
You left Mumbai, India for Germany when you were 4. Is there anything formative about your upbringing here?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Growing up, we were moving around so much in Germany, that I didn’t have the opportunity to make lasting relationships and in hindsight I can say I felt very lost during that period of life. Especially because it was never the plan to stay in Germany. We had to move back to India before the 10th grade and all of my parents’ siblings and family were back in India so we would go back every single year but that also allowed me to maintain that relationship with home, with India.
1
9
9
3
On breaking stereotypes:
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Modeling and the fashion industry gave me a different perspective on Indian beauty. As you know in Bollywood and growing up, our parents would have a very specific look that they would deem as beautiful and it would be fair and light-skinned. And now I look at Indian faces so differently, I’m just so grateful to be from this country and see all these different types of faces and people.
1
9
9
3
Okay let’s talk about your style. I really love it. Who or what influences your style? How would you describe it?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I was always interested in style. I used to sketch stuff in a design book but I was also insecure back then so I didn't think to express it. But when I started modeling, I got more interested in the brands that I worked with and then you see how stylists style you and then you see what looks good on you, and then you realize that you can pull off a lot of looks. But nowadays being a model and being in Berlin which is a very fashion-y city, it’s easy to get caught up in trends and right now I'm in this place where I don’t want trends to inform my style. I can go from cute loafers, schoolgirl type shit, to an oversized everything, super masucline look. Everyday is different. It's a very individual journey for me right now.
1
9
9
3
Favorite pieces in your closet right now?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
A vintage Diesel jacket I got off Vinted.
1
9
9
3
Any Indian owned brands you are into right now?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
• KARU Research
• Amesh Wijussekera
1
9
9
3
Any new year's resolutions?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Be more present and grateful and just start doing things - not overthink it - just start it and get out of my own head. Your life is a blank canvas and you can do whatever you want to do.
Yashvi Sheth
I had the pleasure of sitting with Yashvi Sheth, a Berlin based South Asian model to talk about identity, roots, and style. Yashvi talks about what it’s like growing up in Germany where the South Asian diaspora is significantly smaller compared to the US & UK, and how seeing an ad while shopping at H&M kickstarted her modeling career.
1
9
9
3
Your experience growing up reminds me of mine and so many South Asians I know who grew up in western countries - dismissing your Indian heritage in your younger years only to re-embrace it as you get older. Was there a seminal moment or event that occurred that marked this shift for you?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
It was never a moment. I was always connected to it but I never realized it. I grew up in a very white neighborhood and school and I was the only Indian kid, but then I went to college in Frankfurt where there were more Indian kids because it was a bigger city. But ironically they didn’t think I wasn’t connected to my roots because I didn’t watch Bollywood and I didn’t speak Hindi so I got sort of insecure about it. And now looking back, I have a whole different perspective of what it means to be Indian. It’s in everything I do, it’s within.
And people don’t think I look Indian and it actually bothers me. When I was younger, I thought it was cool because you want to fit in. But I got more assertive in being confident about it and saying I am - I am Indian. The representation of Indians in itself, almost makes it out to be a parody of ourselves. Like, yes I am Indian, but I don’t need to parade myself out there and showcase Indian culture, I want it to be very natural and go without saying. It’s a hard path, because how do you do that? How do you still attract and show people the beauty of the culture without explicitly promoting it in everything you do
1
9
9
3
How did you get into modeling? And what has your experience been as an Indian woman / model in Berlin?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I’ve always wanted to model. I was studying BA and masters in Management and Economics and people would always tell me to try and model but I never felt ready, and I didn’t ever feel like there was a demand in Germany for someone who looked like me – at least in 2014 when I got into it. When I finished my Bachelors degree, I started doing it on the side while I was doing my masters. I was always following fashion and modeling in Paris and Milan and seeing more South Asian faces popping up but in Germany, I feel like - especially in the commercial work - the diversity doesn’t have a lot of Asian representation. I remember being in H&M when I was like 17-18 years old and I saw Pooja Mor on a billboard and was like oh wow and that kind of started turning the wheels of like okay this could be a possibility for me.
1
9
9
3
Do you have any other career aspirations outside of modeling?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I really want to do things with a South Asian perspective. As a model but also starting productions in that space with South Asian talent - focusing on the storytelling and making us more visible. It’s very different in the US and the UK where there’s a bigger diaspora and for us here we look at the US & UK, like oh my god, they’re doing so many cool things there, our lives would be so different if we lived there because there’s so much of us you know? And here it’s like, a friend of mine she’s Bengali – nobody knows that she’s a South Asian as well.
1
9
9
3
On Indians burgeoning creative scene globally and Indians in the US doing creative work:
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Seeing Indian people in the creative scene - that was something new to me. Obviously when you grow up your parents kind of push you into this engineering, business, or law side of things and that’s great too, because that’s why so many Indians are doctors and CEOs and that’s great, but the creative scene was never a topic. It was something I discovered on my own. And now, I see so many artists, designers, musicians pop up - and I’m like oh my god, they’re Indian - and it sounds so dumb and naive - like whoa we can do that too. Diet Paratha is a big pioneer that helped do that. For me, I want to highlight people from the Berlin creative scene that are Indian and talk about their identity because in some ways we all have a similar experience.
1
9
9
3
You left Mumbai, India for Germany when you were 4. Is there anything formative about your upbringing here?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Growing up, we were moving around so much in Germany, that I didn’t have the opportunity to make lasting relationships and in hindsight I can say I felt very lost during that period of life. Especially because it was never the plan to stay in Germany. We had to move back to India before the 10th grade and all of my parents’ siblings and family were back in India so we would go back every single year but that also allowed me to maintain that relationship with home, with India.
1
9
9
3
On breaking stereotypes:
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Modeling and the fashion industry gave me a different perspective on Indian beauty. As you know in Bollywood and growing up, our parents would have a very specific look that they would deem as beautiful and it would be fair and light-skinned. And now I look at Indian faces so differently, I’m just so grateful to be from this country and see all these different types of faces and people.
1
9
9
3
Okay let’s talk about your style. I really love it. Who or what influences your style? How would you describe it?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
I was always interested in style. I used to sketch stuff in a design book but I was also insecure back then so I didn't think to express it. But when I started modeling, I got more interested in the brands that I worked with and then you see how stylists style you and then you see what looks good on you, and then you realize that you can pull off a lot of looks. But nowadays being a model and being in Berlin which is a very fashion-y city, it’s easy to get caught up in trends and right now I'm in this place where I don’t want trends to inform my style. I can go from cute loafers, schoolgirl type shit, to an oversized everything, super masucline look. Everyday is different. It's a very individual journey for me right now.
1
9
9
3
Favorite pieces in your closet right now?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
A vintage Diesel jacket I got off Vinted.
1
9
9
3
Any Indian owned brands you are into right now?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
• KARU Research
• Amesh Wijussekera
1
9
9
3
Any new year's resolutions?
Y
A
S
H
V
I
Be more present and grateful and just start doing things - not overthink it - just start it and get out of my own head. Your life is a blank canvas and you can do whatever you want to do.