Mayyur Girotra on launching his prêt collection at New York Pride 2023

New York Pride is one of the most colourful and significant events for the LGBTQI+ community. People from across the globe travel to the city that never sleeps to partake in the march and the various events supporting the community. In the midst of this rainbow-hued revelry is the upcoming launch of Mayyur Girotra’s first luxury prêt collection, Aikya in collaboration with Pride at Google and the Indus Google Network.

“Pride for me is freedom, it’s the freedom to love who you want and be who you want. For me, it’s giving due love and respect to the people who are a part of the community. I strongly feel that every individual has the right to live a life with respect and dignity,” shares celebrated couturier Mayyur Girotra. This firm conviction led Girotra to launch his luxury pret collection at the upcoming New York Pride 2023.

The collection is being launched in collaboration with Pride at Google and the Indus Google Network working as a concept partner for runway representation that includes various gender identities and sexual orientations. “Pride at Google and Indus Google Network are the subsidiaries of Google and it has been an extremely comfortable yet exciting journey with them. They gave me the freedom to play around with the collection and translate the designs into a beautiful language the way I had envisioned it. They have been extremely kind and helpful with executing the entire process and I am fortunate that I have been given the chance to showcase my talent in support of my LGBTQ+ community,” says Girotra.  

“I love how Pride Month brings in so much vibrancy and unity. For me, the significance of the Pride movement lies in its ability to empower and inspire individuals to embrace their true selves, regardless of the societal norms and prejudices they may face. It is a movement that celebrates diversity and encourages individuals to live their lives authentically and with pride. I believe that the fashion industry has a responsibility to support and uplift the LGBTQ community, not just during Pride Month, but throughout the year. By creating inclusive collections, promoting diversity in our campaigns and runways, and working with LGBTQ organisations, we can help to promote a more tolerant and accepting society,” vocalises Girotra as he preps to head to New York for the launch in early June.

For Girotra, Aikya is a celebration of diversity and the power of unity which is more important now than ever before. “The Aikya collection is a reflection of my belief that fashion can be a unifying force that brings people together, regardless of their differences. Each piece in the collection has been meticulously crafted to celebrate the unique beauty of different cultures and styles. From intricate embroidery to bold prints and vibrant colours, the Aikya collection is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of India, and the beauty of diversity.” Keeping in line with the ethos of Pride Month, the vibrant collection is gender-fluid with silhouettes like trenchcoats, bombers and oversized jackets. In line with the language of the brand, the collection has kutch work, gota, tila, resham, mirror and handari work to give it a fun and eclectic vibe. Rooted in Indian heritage, the collection draws attention to the rainbow spectrum in all the right ways.  

All Images: Courtesy Mayyur Girotra.