Going Viral: Transgender models in saris winning hearts online

Maya Menon and Gowri Savithri, the models who feature in the photoshoot, are pictured draped in handloom cotton saris from designer Sharmila Nair’s collection named Mazhavi, the Malayalam word for rainbow. The saris are crafted in colours like yellow, lavender, red, orange and green, which represent the global LGBT community flag. 

A post from Nair said she wanted to “focus on the plight of the ostracised transgender community by getting to come to the limelight.” The initiative has won rave reviews and the Kochi-based designer admitted online that purchase orders have been pouring in from India and abroad. 

This assignment has brought them visibility and the designer said she hopes it will also bring them acceptability so that they can get employment.