Early this year, one of India's popular millennial designers, Swapnil Shinde came out as a trans woman and decided to call herself Saisha Shinde. And now, the same trans designer is making waves across the world for designing the finale gown for none other than Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu, the diva who brought the coveted crown back to the country after 21 long years. Here's a look at the gown and the trans woman behind it.
Harnaaz wore a breathtaking shimmery gown with a deep V-neckline to the finale. Speaking about the gown to News18, Saisha said, "There is a certain expectation from Miss India at an International pageant. She has to look elegant, exquisite and the gowns needs to look delicate and dainty but at the same time powerful, strong, which incidentally my brand has become now after I have transitioned into a woman."
What went into designing the gown
According to the news report by News18, the gown is embellished with embroidery, stones, and sequins. "Harnaaz believes in sustainability, so we used embroidery material which was lying around at the studio," Saisha added.
As an ode to Harnaaz's Punjabi roots, Shinde incorporated some beautiful phulkari patterns in the gown.
In January this year, the designer took to Instagram to explain his transition and shared, “Irrespective of your origin, there will always be something that reminds you of your childhood. For me, it takes me back to the kind of loneliness that aches, to pressures that pushed me into solitude and the chaos of confusion that grew every moment. All through school and college, while the boys outside tormented me because I was different, the internal pain was far worse. I felt suffocated living a reality that I knew wasn’t mine, yet one that I had to stage everyday because of societal expectations and norms. It was only in my early 20s at NIFT where I found the courage to accept my truth; I truly bloomed. I spent the next few years believing that I was attracted to men because I was gay, but it was only 6 years ago that I finally accepted to myself, and today that I accept to you. I am not a gay man. I am a Transwoman.”
