From UP Village to Gucci, Prada & Dior – A Journey of Self-Acceptance

Saurabh Pandey was as soon as the boy who by no means slot in. Born in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, he grew up with desires that didn’t match the expectations round him.

His father drove a taxi in Mumbai, and because the eldest of three, everybody anticipated him to turn into a physician or an engineer. However Saurabh’s coronary heart was set on vogue.

When he moved to Mumbai, he lived together with his father in a tiny chawl. To outlive, he labored 12-hour shifts at a mall whereas chasing his dream of design. Alternatives got here his approach, however by no means simply. His Awadhi accent and village roots usually made him stand out, and at his first job he was mocked and ultimately fired.

Then got here the COVID-19 pandemic. Again in his village, he discovered himself beneath strain to marry. As an alternative of giving in, Saurabh made a life-changing determination: to just accept himself overtly and unapologetically. To his shock, his mother and father embraced him with a love he had by no means anticipated. That second grew to become his turning level.

Over the following 5 years, he designed for Gucci, Prada, and Dior. Later, he started creating content material, turning the very Awadhi that when drew mockery into his biggest power.

At this time, thousands and thousands snigger with him, grandmothers bless him, and his story carries one message: once you settle for your self, the world follows.