Singhal debuted her latest collection ‘Shahnameh’ at the grand launch of Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio‘s new 20,000-square-foot flagship store on Madison Avenue Thursday.
Underlining the occasion, South Asian Fashion Week (SAFW), a leading platform to amplify fashion from the region, in collaboration with The Culture Tree, which promotes South Asian culture through educational and enrichment programs, hosted a curated panel discussion that highlighted Indian fashion’s growing dominance on the global stage.
Singhal recalled the time she first came to New York 25 years ago for her maiden pop-up show and building the movement to spread awareness about South Asian fashion, noting that “finally everyone is sitting up and taking notice.
“The fact that Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio has opened a 20,000 square foot store on Madison Avenue opposite Dior is a moment,” Singhal said to cheers and applause from the gathering.
“This is the dream we all had where we wanted to take South Asian fashion, not just to the mainstream as contemporary Indian wear, designer or as a curator, but also to showcase Indian fashion on main street New York. To have Indian fashion selling on Madison Avenue is a big one,” she said.
The panel explored the globalisation of South Asian culture, fashion, and identity, and the growing role of media and digital platforms in shaping contemporary cultural narratives and consumer behaviour.It also examined how creator platforms and commerce have accelerated South Asian design‘s expansion into the global luxury market.
“This is one of those moments that feels like it’s all of a sudden” but it has been building for more than 20 years, former Chairman and CEO of LVMH (North America) Anish Melwani said.
“If I think back 20 years ago, we didn’t have 20 Fortune 500 CEOs who are of Indian or South Asian origin…. I think what you see now is what feels like an all-of-a-sudden moment but is actually a culmination of people feeling more comfortable with Indians and South Asians in positions of power and recognizing their contributions across various fields,” he said.
The evening brought together leaders from fashion, beauty, media, culture and the South Asian community.
“This collaboration reflects the growing global influence of contemporary South Asian culture,” Culture Tree founder and CEO Anu Sehgal said. “As fashion becomes a powerful expression of identity, storytelling, and representation, we want to celebrate the creativity and entrepreneurship shaping the modern South Asian diaspora.”
The event placed “South Asian culture, fashion, and identity at the center of the global conversation,” the Culture Tree said.
Since 2022, SAFW has introduced South Asian designers to American audiences. CEO and founder of South Asian Fashion Week Shipra Sharma said SAFW has always been about more than a runway.
“It is about building a home for South Asian creativity in the places where global culture is decided,” she said.
“In the coming years, we will continue to drive South Asian fashion to all the global fashion capitals across the world,” Sharma said.
Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio in New York is a “one-stop” destination for Indian design on the global stage, it said. The multi-designer store spans pret, menswear, fusion, occasion wear, and bridal couture.