Did You Know Harnaaz Sandhu’s Gown Was Deisgned By India’s First Transwoman Celebrity Fashion Designer?

New Delhi: Harnaaz Sandhu being crowned Miss Universe 2021 was historic in more ways than one because the gown she wore was designed by Saisha Shinde, India’s first transwoman celebrity fashion designer.

The sleeveless silver see-through winning gown worn by Miss Universe was designed by none other than Saisha, or  Swapnil Shinde, who came out as a transwoman and introduced herself as Saisha in January.

Saisha also shared on her Instagram profile the entire process that led to the creation of Harnaaz’s shimmering look.

“The gown is not your run-of-the-mill silver, it’s a mix of champagne and silver. We didn’t want to give her a gown that’s going to wash her out but one that makes her shine even brighter. We had to make sure that she is Miss India and with that you get a lot of elegance, sophistication and glamour. So it could not be over the top either, ” Saisha told Filmfare.com.

“I have been getting DMs on Instagram, calling it the ‘winning gown’ and saying that it will go down in history. I feel so honoured that I got to do this gown, especially for Harnaaz who is an absolutely amazing woman. She’s a girl with a heart of gold. So I feel honoured,” she added.

“The gown is embellished with embroidery, stones, and sequins. Harnaaz believes in sustainability, so we used embroidery material that was lying around at the studio. Also, since she is from Punjab, we incorporated phulkari-inspired motifs in the ensemble. The geometric patterns which are synonymous with the phulkari patterns are given a modern twist,” the designer told News18.

The 40-year-old designer also shared a glimpse of the work that went into making the sheer embellished gown for Harnaaz on her Instagram Stories.

The 40-year-old designer also shared a glimpse of the work that went into making the sheer embellished gown for Harnaaz on her Instagram Stories.