Creative director and creator Pranav Goswamy pens down his love for fashion

When I was a 12-year-old, I refused to step out of the house without a pair of white oversized sunglasses and the littlest of denim shorts (a few, unfortunately, bedazzled with rivets on them). It was mostly paired with a hideous crossbody, and flip-flops from a print-heavy collection of very many. That disastrous outfit—eventually it became a uniform—was the beginning of my tryst with fashion. Growing up, I observed my grandma pair her chiffon saris with a strand of pearls and a well-done bouffant at all times. This made me realise how everlasting personal style is. Wearing extravagant white sunglasses at 9 pm on a Wednesday night—I would know!

In today’s world, the importance of having your identity reflected in your outfit is undeniable (no matter if it is for a grocery run). Your fashion choices compel you to remain relevant, true to yourself, and distinctive. They are a testament to maintaining individuality in a world where personal expression matters more than ever.

For me, fashion has always been a narrative-centric tool. It has the power to weave new stories and amplify silenced ones. Even before I openly came out to myself or the world, I was already expressing myself through my choice of attire. That was my driving force—knowing that my outfit could convey who I am even when words failed me.

In 2020, I enrolled for a fashion degree at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi. Since then, I have spent four years (and countless sleepless nights) fuelled by caffeine and my love for fashion and storytelling. I was often questioned why I never considered dropping out of college, especially when I was fortunate enough to establish myself in the industry.

However, I knew I wanted to learn the stories behind each silhouette, fabrication, and textile. I believed it would teach me to tell stories through fashion, which I consider lacking in today’s trend-driven, fad-obsessed culture, where narrative often takes a backseat. The word “passion” is often trivialised and oh so casually overused that it sometimes loses its significance.

Despite the risk of sounding cliché, I’ve discovered how my work in fashion makes me feel. Whether it’s developing an identity for a brand, orchestrating a photoshoot, producing a short film, or even coordinating my pyjamas to present a cohesive ensemble, there’s a relentless drive that compels me to constantly strive for more. Fashion, for me, is a dynamic force—it brings alive my passion for creativity and self-expression, and for transforming apparently unachievable challenges to something possible. Looking back, I realise that I uncovered this passion long before I even took to eating veggies.

I grew up in a home where ‘do what you love and love what you do’ was almost an unsaid understanding of how life should be. This is how I knew fashion was more than just an escape or outlet for me. While draping yards of fabric; curating countless “looks” from mum’s wardrobe; or even playing dress-up with the 127 Barbies I had (yes, I kept count, and yes, they had names and Elsa was my favourite), I found myself feeling a tight hug from someone you love most.

I’ve now been working for nearly four years, a time so short yet feels like forever. Whenever I see a campaign or creative content, I often find myself asking the questions: How would I do this differently? What would I change, remove, or undo entirely? Being a theatre child at heart, I’ve actively tried to bring the two worlds of film and fashion together, create one-of-a-kind stories for brands in the attempt to add a certain je ne sais quoi, with juxtapositions in varying elements with the occasional naked men (for creative reasons only). Amid the misty steam irons, the chaos of a changing set, the last-minute clamping, and the adrenalin to get the perfect composition, there’s something about seeing your idea translate into imagery. Even at the 13th hour of shoot, I’d find myself singing and dancing (mujhe singing aur dancing ka kitna shaukh hai)—much like Anjali (portrayed by Sana Saeed) in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) at the summer camp.

That’s what fashion does for me. It’s like a protein bar packed with love, passion, and energy—which in turn I feed to my crew and set. Whenever I am on set or working on a campaign, editorial, or even film piece, I have noticed how the references used are nine out of 10 times international visuals—one would rarely spot an India-generated campaign or editorial being used as he lead image in a mood board. And that’s the shift I am driven to initiate—to craft visuals that become globally recognised ‘IT’ references.

I always strive to conceive something so novel that even I couldn’t have imagined its potential. With every new project or idea, I try to prove it as not only plausible, but aspirational. Creating is what reminds me the true meaning of passion. Even today, I try to discover a new territory. Currently I’m a tank top wearing, metal mixing Pranav with chopped hair. Even while writing this article, as someone who hasn’t written much before, I found myself unintentionally planning what I’d wear in the weeks ahead or outlining a shoot deck for a client. That’s when it hit me that this is precisely what I’m going to write about—an honest piece about how I have found companionship in fashion and myself through a multitude of phases. The back pages of all my school notebooks—filled with scribbles of styled croquis, brand logos, and some ‘Mr & Mr’ signatures with wedding hashtags among them—shall testify to that.

My iPad, with meticulously organised photo albums categorising designers, shows, celebrities, and collections, would gladly serve as its alibi. I often find myself wondering, if what I am doing is truly making a difference, or is giving me the fulfilment one seeks in life. I pause and think how the boy who once wore big white sunnies (now big black specs) would feel, and I instantly find myself smiling ear to ear.

This article originally appeared in the July-August 2024 issue of Cosmopolitan India.

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