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In our Indo Western fashion community, we celebrate bold and inspiring individuals. That is why, in our Let’s Talk Indo Western interviews, we speak with them about Indo Western fashion, personal growth, and their fashion journeys. Our goal is to meet and connect with exciting new people, find inspiration, and grow together as a community.
We spoke with community member Madhulika Sharma — an international model, social entrepreneur, and content creator who inspires nearly 54,000 people on Instagram (@madhulikasharmaa) with her modeling, lifestyle, and fashion content. In our conversation, Madhulika reveals why she believes educating consumers about Indo Western fashion is so important, how she became an international model working with top brands such as SKIMS, Vogue India, as well as Condé Nast, and how her parents influenced her fashion style from a young age.
STYLØR: Since our community is all about Indo Western fashion, we are so curious to know, have you ever heard of Indo Western fashion prior to this interview?
Madhulika Sharma: Yes, I have. I grew up in India and have worn Indo Western fashion throughout my entire modeling career, and I’ll definitely continue to wear it. I’m so happy that STYLØR is building an Indo Western fashion community and raising awareness for it. We need more people to realize how incredible Indo Western fashion is.
STYLØR: What do you love about Indo Western fashion?
Madhulika Sharma: I love the idea of celebrating Indian craftsmanship and artistry in an accessible Western format. That’s why it’s so special for me.
STYLØR: Do you wear Indo Western fashion?
Madhulika Sharma: Yes, every day. I have an amazing story to share. My mom is a textile designer. Growing up, I’d watch her work with these incredible centuries-old Indian craftsmanship techniques, like handloom weaving, handblock printing, and hand-dyeing. Experiencing this firsthand gave me a deep understanding of Indian textiles and the artistry behind them.
Because I love this concept and approach so much, I wear Indo Western fashion almost every day. It also influences how I shop. Instead of a $20 T-shirt from a fast fashion brand, I focus on investing in beautiful, thoughtfully made Indo Western pieces. Moreover, I’m always on the lookout for new and upcoming designers, too.
STYLØR: Indo Western fashion is becoming increasingly mainstream in the West. How do you see that development?
Madhulika Sharma: That’s the right direction. Yet, I think educating people and showing them what makes Indo Western fashion so unique and special is really important in this process.
One approach could be for Indian designers and brands to showcase their incredible designs at major fashion weeks like New York Fashion Week, present them in showrooms, and then reach consumers directly through retail stores. However, this strategy requires a lot of resources and financial capital from a brand perspective.
In contrast, I personally believe we need consistent demand from consumers, and that happens solely by educating them. That’s exactly what STYLØR is doing by building an Indo Western fashion community. When more and more people understand the uniqueness of Indo Western fashion, there’s consistent demand that enables Indian brands and designers to grow constantly without major investments. It’s also an incentive to create more designs and grow the team of local rural craftsmen.
STYLØR: After exploring our community online, were there any brands that stood out to you?
Madhulika Sharma: Absolutely. I love Papa Don’t Preach by my dear friend Shubhika Sharma, and I also like Khara Kapas.
STYLØR: We want to learn more about you as a person. Imagine someone meets you for the first time. How would you introduce yourself?
Madhulika Sharma: I’d introduce myself like, “Hi, my name is Madhulika. I’m an international fashion model and a fashion enthusiast. I’ve worked in the fashion industry as a model since I got scouted when I was 19 years old. I’ve been on countless magazine covers such as Elle India, Grazia India, Condé Nast Traveller India, and Cosmopolitan India. Besides being the face of editorials for Harpers Bazaar India and Vogue India, I’ve also done many campaigns for major brands such as SKIMS, Graff, Bodice, Veronica Beard, Reformation, Cult Gaia, Anita Dongre, and Prabal Gurung. I’ve even walked runway shows at Paris and New York Fashion Week for Zimmermann and Ralph & Russo.
Together with my mother, I’ve founded the YARN GLORY Foundation. Our goal is to preserve Northeast India’s weaving traditions and provide jobs for local artisans. Currently, we work with over 40 handloom weavers and their families, mostly women, from tribal and remote areas of Assam and the greater Northeast of India to create a unique, cruelty-free silk called Eri. Eri silk is harvested after the moth emerges from the cocoon, whereas traditional silk production involves killing the silkworm by boiling the cocoon to extract the silk. This makes Eri silk a more ethical and sustainable choice.
In addition, I work with the Consulate General of India on cultural projects.”
STYLØR: Can you tell us more about your childhood and how you grew up?
Madhulika Sharma: Absolutely. I was born in Itanagar, a small city in the northeast Indian state of Assam, right at the border with China. Itanagar is known for its gorgeous, hilly terrain in the Brahmaputra Valley. I lived there for the first seven years of my life, and I had the most beautiful, blissful, and easy childhood. I grew up climbing trees, playing in the river, swimming, making dolls, cooking, dancing, and going to school. It was the most ideal childhood you can imagine.
Fast forward, I went to college and studied Political Science and Economics. I thought I’d work at the UN and become a diplomat one day, but little did I know that my life would change completely.
STYLØR: What happened next?
Madhulika Sharma: Well, one day, somebody walked up to me and said, “You’re very pretty. Hence, you should consider modeling.” Honestly, I didn’t think much about it. But soon, I started getting DMs from modeling agencies. At the time, I was 18 years old.
Then, my mother and I flew to Mumbai, the biggest city in India, and I got signed by a modeling agency. Shortly after, I went to my first round of castings. It was incredible, and I landed my first campaign for the famous Indian designer Anju Modi. Soon after, I was on the covers of Condé Nast Traveller India and Grazia India. I also did runway shows and appeared in campaigns for some of the biggest names in Indian fashion, such as Tarun Tahiliani, Anita Dongre, and even Sabyasachi.
In the beginning, I wasn’t very serious about modeling and thought of it more as a great way to save some pocket money while attending college. Frankly, I didn’t know much about these people and was just figuring everything out. After I googled and saw their huge follower counts, I realized there might be more possibilities for me. That was the moment I started taking this opportunity seriously.
STYLØR: What helped you stand out and succeed as a model?
Madhulika Sharma: I’d definitely say my personality. I’ve always been a very curious and hard-working person. I also think that my nonchalance attitude was refreshing for designers, stylists, and photographers. So when I was on set with the most famous Indian photographers, such as Tarun Khiwal and Atul Kasbekar, I did exactly what they told me and constantly tried to learn about new techniques, study the lighting, and learn from the photographers. I’ve always tried to make friends since I was the new kid, and I think that was really refreshing for them.
STYLØR: While your modeling career was taking off, you were still in college. So you were basically living two lives at the same time, right?
Madhulika Sharma: Yes, exactly. I lived two lives at the same time. The funny part is that my friends in college never knew about it. So when they came back from the newspaper stand, they’d say, “We just saw a model on a magazine cover who looked exactly like you!”
STYLØR: When you look back, what do you consider to be your greatest success in life so far?
Madhulika Sharma: A huge success for me was being the first Indian model featured in a SKIMS campaign. That was such an incredible moment, seeing myself on a huge billboard alongside Kim Kardashian.
But I’d also say that many of my successful moments are personal. For example, turning 21 or celebrating my parents’ 35th wedding anniversary felt like really special successes.
STYLØR: You have an incredible fashion style. What people and circumstances influenced your fashion style growing up?
Madhulika Sharma: Definitely my parents because they’re both style icons. My dad has a very classic, dapper style. For example, I remember him wearing butter yellow T-shirts with blue pants, a brown beaten cowboy belt, and a cool haircut. He’d also listen to Led Zeppelin and read books by Gandhi, Joe Didel, or Bill Crosby. My mum, on the other hand, has a more natural style and is very into interior design. We had so many editions of ELLE Decor at home.
Attending a coeducational school, where everyone was equal, also shaped my personal style. Regardless of anyone’s preferences, the uniform was the same for everyone. All kids wore a vest, shorts, and little tomboy shoes. In the winter, we’d wear blazers and trousers. Additionally, when I was six, I also started playing the piano. So when we had a concert at school, I’d wear a tuxedo. Looking back, not knowing gender boundaries in fashion was amazing. That freedom and experience really shaped me and my style.
STYLØR: What is your favourite moment of fashion?
Madhulika Sharma: My favorite fashion moment was shooting a documentary for BBC when I was 19 years old. Alongside the biggest names in Indian fashion, I went on a 10-day trip to Kerala, a southern state in India. The goal was to learn more about the history and richness of Indian fashion. Along the way, we stopped at local textile stores, markets, and bazaars to discover different prints, textiles, jewelry pieces, shoes, and more. For me, this trip was like a 10-day masterclass in Indian fashion history with some of the biggest stylists, photographers, and creative directors in the industry. It was incredible and something I’ll never forget.
STYLØR: What does fashion mean to you?
Madhulika Sharma: For me, fashion is self-expression and a form of silent communication. It’s a vehicle for building a story about yourself and sharing it with the world.
At the same time, fashion is also a lifestyle I create for myself. For example, things I’ve read, listened to, or spoken about influence my personal style.
STYLØR: Over the years, you have built a successful community on Instagram. When we last checked, you had almost 54,000 followers. So we are curious to learn, what inspired you to start posting content on social media?
Madhulika Sharma: The first reason was because it’s necessary in my job. For example it helps clients to see how I look and dress myself.
The second reason was that I wanted to find and connect with like-minded people. And Instagram is perfect for that. It’s an invitation into your personal world as well as a tool to express yourself. I can show what books I’m reading, what music I’m listening to, or even what hobbies I have.
STYLØR: Are there any fashion content creators who inspire you?
Madhulika Sharma: I wouldn’t say content creators in particular, but I’m very inspired by changemakers like Miuccia Prada. I’m obsessed with the designs and silhouettes she creates. I also love her form of storytelling, which has always been about rejecting the societal status quo. It’s really cool.
Another person is the Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. His world is influenced by the Mughal Empire and revolves around magical storytelling. For me, his world is a way to escape.
And finally, someone who also inspires me is Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons. I love her minimal and functional, yet brutalist, design language. Again, it feels like a rebellion against society, which I think is very cool.
STYLØR: What are your next goals?
Madhulika Sharma: Since I’m studying filmmaking right now, I’m currently contemplating about starting a community where people can come together to discuss literature, texts, or even movies. I think it’s really powerful to connect with people through words.
At the same time, I want to continue my fashion career and take it to the next level.
