Hyderabad: “I think that finding my voice is not a destination, I think it’s an ever-evolving journey. One thing that I’m very sure about is that I want my voice as an influencer to be honest, authentic, and genuine,” says Masoom Minawala, a fashion influencer who clocks in 1 million followers on her Instagram handle. Having started a career in influencer marketing at a time when social media influencers were just a blip on the radar, Masoom speaks from experience.
When she is not shooting videos and ideating, she divides her time collaborating with brands like Estee Lauder, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton and so on. Amid all this, she also found the time to use her influence during the pandemic to help those in need. In a candid chat, she talks about her inspiration, social media influence, exciting projects, and followers:
Where does your style inspiration come from?
It actually just comes from myself. It comes from my mood, how I’m feeling, what my perception is and what I’m dressing up for. Whenever I’m dressing up, I really look inside versus on the outside. It is very intuitive and very instinctive to me.
How do you maintain your authentic voice in your social media handles while still partnering with brands?
Every time I work with a brand or even in conversation with a brand, I will always ensure that the brand’s values and aesthetics match mine. I’ll always ask myself — ‘Is this a product or service that I would use?’ Or ‘is it a product or service that would help my community?’ Something that impacts their lives, something interesting that I can share with them.
What advice do you have for people who are trying to gain a following on social media?
You have to be consistent. It’s not an overnight success. It took me close to 10 years to get to a million followers, and build a community that’s actually genuine and valuable and a community that connects and engages. This is a business that needs the investment of time.
What’s been the most exciting event/moment you’ve experienced since becoming an influencer?
Walking the red carpet at the Cannes film festival. I think it was a very overwhelming moment, especially walking the red carpet as an Indian influencer and representing my country at a global event at such a magnanimous scale, it was an amazing feeling.
Have your followers ever gotten back on how you impacted someone’s life with your social media content?
My team and I used my platform to actually connect people who needed medical aid, such as blood donors or medicines, to people who had it, and were willing to share. Last month, we also raised over Rs 50 lakh for a foundation to donate oxygen concentrators to Covid patients who really needed it. I also have a property called #SupportIndianDesigners which is a non-profit initiative where I promote Indian brands and labels.
Any new projects you have been working on?
Yes, I’ve actually been working on a new project called ‘Empowher’. It is to create content that is focused on women professionals, women at work, women entrepreneurs.
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