Sarita Choudhury, Prabal Gurung, and More on South Asian Fashion and Celebrating Diwali

POPSUGAR: What does Diwali mean to you?
Sarita Choudhury: Especially this year, it has a very different meaning. Diwali first of all brings faith together because there are a lot of people who celebrate Diwali, which very much moves me in this time. Also, it advocates nonviolence within, bringing in the light. It's hard to celebrate right now, and if we're going to celebrate, that could be something we put a step forward towards.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
SC: To me, it remains the feeling I had when I was a kid. When I see candles everywhere and lights, or even walking into this hotel, there are candles outside and flowers going out. There's something magical and kid-like to that.

PS: Who are you wearing?
SC: Prabal Gurung.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
SC: I never see it as either-or. I feel like anytime I can put a sari on in a TV show, I'm like, let's do it. South Asian fashion to me is I think of Sharmila Tagore, I think of old Bollywood retro, I think of super-modern sweaters with "Bollywood eyes." I love the fact that people see this and they're like, oh, I wanna wear that. South Asian fashion to me could be world fashion.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Prabal Gurung: Diwali for me is a time for people you love, your family, friends, and just to celebrate. To have an account of the year gone; it's a way of saying thank you, expressing gratitude to people who've been there for you during the darker times. Celebrating, not just the light within, but what we see within each other. And dancing, Bollywood songs, fabulous clothes, and just celebration. For me, my heart is always filled with gratitude.

I'm so grateful we did it last year, and look at it now, it's taken over. I feel like the more parties like this, the better, because Diwali is not just one day, it's like a several days of celebration.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
PG: I wake up, I'll do a puja in my house, then I talk to my mom and my siblings. Then just start getting ready and listen to my Diwali playlist just to get in the mood.

PS: Who are you wearing?
PG: I am wearing me! I got this all hand embroidered in India and in Mumbai, and I brought it here made in New York. It's very rare that I make stuff for myself, so I was just like, let me just give it a shot. I love colors, and it's very rare that I see guys wearing this emerald green and all of this stunning bejeweled. It's always usually black or ivory or something like that. I wanted to celebrate the artists from that part of the world. I lived in India for like more than 10 years, I went to school there, I worked there, and what better way to highlight in different ways that me as a designer based in New York can also have a reach there, get it done there. I feel like it's well traveled, the velvet is from Italy, embroidery is done in India, and this is all made in New York.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
PG: It is everything. It is the soul of who we are, like it or not. How we dress, whether it's fully embroidered or simple sari, how we drape it, how we wear it, it's our identity. I feel it's like the breath that we take, because this is our heritage, this is where we're from. This is what we grew up with, this is our norm in so many ways.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Jessel Taank: Diwali for me has always kind of been around family, and it's about being with each other, laughing, talking, cooking, good food, dancing, and just creating memories. That's what I wish to pass on to my kids.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
JT: I've always had dinners, and we'll do fireworks, and that's always really fun. But it's really about making noise in the best way you know how.

PS: Who are you wearing?
JT: I am wearing the amazing Falguni Shane Peacock. I've been a huge fan of them for decades now. I think that they've been one of the most iconic Indian designers. Coming from a fashion background, when you see a piece of fashion and you immediately know who designed it, that's how you know you've made it.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
JT: I just love the amount of detail, heart, and attention that goes into creating these pieces. No one piece is the same. I know how these things are made in India; it's not off the rack or churned out. There are people who literally sit there with needles and threads, working to create these beautiful garments. You just have to take a moment to appreciate the hard workers that go behind creating.

PS: If you were to host a Diwali party for your castmates on "The Real Housewives of New York," how would you go about that?
JT: The one thing I've learned over the course of the season is there has to be a lot of food, obviously. As long as there's food and good music, I think we're good. I would do it in the most opulent venue with the most amazing, beautiful people. The fashion has to be on point, and just lots of food.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Anjula Acharia: Diwali means the celebration of good over evil and light, over darkness. It means that to me because I think never have we been in a time where we've needed that so desperately. I thought very hard about canceling this party for the last two weeks because of what's been happening, but someone said to me that if I was going to let this sadness into my heart, I had to also let in the good, the joy, and the light. So that's what I'm doing.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
AA: My favorite tradition is eating the mithai and dressing up like I love to dress up, as you can see, and dancing and eating amazing food.

PS: Who are you wearing?
AA: I'm wearing Falguni Shane Peacock. It's a custom look from their Love Is collection, and I love it.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
AA: I grew up so embarrassed about South Asian fashion, and now I rejoice in it, I embrace it, and I show it off. I've dressed some of the biggest celebrities in the world in Indian clothes, like Lady Gaga, and I'm so proud of that. I love just how lavish it is and how much work goes into it. The colors, the embroidery, the textures, it's just all-encompassing.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Rupi Kaur: Diwali has always been celebrating family, love, and light. And as somebody from the Sikh community, along with Diwali, we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, which means it's a day of celebrating freedom from oppression. I always think about that as a poet and as somebody who is an activist; it's always a moment to reflect on where the world is at and how I can work to use my work to uplift it.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
RK: We always go to the Gurdwara with my family every year. It's funny because it's something that I didn't always enjoy growing up, but now, it's something that I really look forward to every year. Because I'm on tour often, I don't always get to go, but this year, I will be with my parents and we'll go together.

PS: Who are you wearing?
RK: Seema Gujral.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
RK: I would say the craftsmanship. Every time I wear anything South Asian, I'm in awe of the beauty and the craftsmanship that goes into every piece. I think that South Asian textiles and fashion are just on a whole different level, and that's why I love wearing it even on tour.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Saad Amer: Diwali is a beautiful celebration of light overcoming darkness. At this time, when we see so much turmoil across the world, from war to violence to the climate crisis, we need moments of joy where we can come together and build community. Diwali does that in such a special, meaningful way.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
SA: My favorite Diwali tradition is the food. I love getting together with my family and having some biryani, samosas, chai, and mithai; everything is just laid out absolutely decadent for a beautiful feast. One of my favorite things about South Asian food is that there are so many vegetarian options, so there's an element of sustainability inherent to the festival.

PS: Who are you wearing?
SA: I'm wearing Anita Dongre, and I love her work because she's a sustainable luxury fashion designer; there's so much thought and intention into all of the materials. I love being able to bring our culture over here to America and do it in a way that is also good for our planet and actively conscious for such a lovely festival.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
SA: I'm a climate activist. I do a lot of work in sustainability, and a big focus of a lot of my work is sustainable fashion. When you go to the store, you find tags from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and our community, every single piece of clothing that you own many times has been touched by the hands of a South Asian people without you even realizing it, and there is so much poverty and exploitation that goes into our global supply chains as well as carbon emissions that go out into the world as a result of fashion. It's really important that we are cognizant of the human rights and the environmental footprint of the clothes that we wear for celebrations like this. It's so important that we are able to reuse outfits, share pieces with each other, and build community in that way.

It's such a special way to highlight the incredible craftsmanship of our people. I don't know anybody else who's hand embroidering mirrors into fabric and making it shine and shimmer in such a beautiful way. I take so much joy in seeing how much talent there is in artistry within South Asia, and I'm glad to see our artistry being recognized more and more on a global stage.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Rohan Oza: For me, it's an amazing time for friends and family to come together and celebrate; that's the fun part of it. It's an excuse for the South Asian community, for everyone to get together. If you look around the room here, it goes beyond the South Asian community, because we bring others in. It's a gathering point of all cultures. Ultimately, the underlying message is obviously light of the darks, and in tougher times like we're in now, it's a great time to celebrate that. It doesn't matter where you come from or what walks of life, you're still celebrating the ultimate triumph of light over.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
RO: For me, it's the dancing part. I love dancing, it's the Garba, it's the Bollywood dancing. I think food is good, but for me, music is top.

PS: Who are you wearing?
RO: The lovely Falguni Shane Peacock; my fiancée and I are both matching in green.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
RO: What I love about South Asian fashion is it is now starting to lead. Historically, I felt that we created our own and we maybe followed or it didn't become big until another culture started embracing it. I think we're getting to a point now where we're defining our own look and vibe, and people are embracing South Asian fashion for what it is, and it's a fusion of many different styles but rooted in our Indian culture.

I don't think any other set of clothing impresses as much as South Asian clothing. Especially for guys, a black tux is about as fancy as I can go; when it comes to South Asian fashion, sky's the limit.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Ann Mukherjee: I'm a Bengali, and we also celebrate Kali Puja. For us, it's a reminder about resiliency and what our role is to protect. And as a mom, it's a big deal for me to protect not only my family, but as a CEO [of Pernod Ricard North America] to protect my employees and the people I serve. It's a real reminder about what my role is as a woman. Ma Kali is a woman with a lot of power and courage, and that's what it reminds me of.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
AM: I'm from Calcutta; it's not just the lights, but it's the fireworks that's the best part. You go out in the street and you light up the sparklers, and that's the fun.

PS: Who are you wearing?
AM: I am wearing Falguni Shane Peacock; they are just an amazing couple.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
AM: My daughter [left] who's here tonight, she's doing her thesis on fashion. It's all about the explosion of Indian couture through cinema. It's almost like Indian weddings have become homogenized because everyone wants to have that glorious Bollywood wedding, and with that comes the fashion and the intricacy of fashion and film coming together to create a multibillion-dollar industry.

PS: What does Diwali mean to you?
Aparna Shewakramani: For me, Diwali is about family and connection, and that extends not just to my blood family but to friends and the community that we have.

PS: What is your favorite Diwali tradition?
AP: My family gets together on the actual day, no matter where we are in the world, we all get together and we do a puja and a prayer together. For me, it's a connection point for us where we're wishing each other all the best for the new year, and that's so special.

PS: Who are you wearing?
AP: I'm wearing Amit Aggarwal. I love the structure and the colors. It's always so much fun for Diwali.

PS: What is your favorite thing about South Asian fashion?
AP: It's a way for us to really reflect who we are and the clothes that we wear, and that's for all fashion. But for South Asians, it gives us more, because our colors are so bright and vivid. It's full of joy. If you look around this room tonight, everyone's outfits scream out joy. My favorite part is how unique each designer is and how they're all building platforms in a way that didn't exist a few years ago. People are recognizing designers, and it's fun to see them grow as a brand and to grow alongside you as you wear their clothes.