Three years ago, when Amrit was studying at the Paris College of Art, she bagged her debut cover shoot. It marked a series of firsts for her, including wearing make-up and being in front of a professional camera. Since then, and particularly post her runway debut at Chloé, the Punjab-born model and artist has persistently added new milestones to her repertoire. This includes walking for mega-brands like Dior, Fendi, and Alberta Ferretti and starring in the campaigns of brands such as Miu Miu and Balmain. “Going from Punjab to Paris, I had never imagined what awaited me, especially as an introverted kid who found refuge in books, art, and nature,” she says, letting me into her world.
Was she nervous on that first shoot, I ask? “I had never shot anything before, not even locally, because I was extremely camera shy. But that feeling started to vanish since that day.” How so? “It has to do with working in an environment where you sense that someone has trusted you to be the friction between their vision and your offering. You find yourself inhabiting new characters and start having fun with it. It’s a liberating feeling. Shooting with Avani Rai for ELLE was one such experience, especially when we connected over our Punjabi roots, love for Gurmukhi, and shared artistic vision,” she shares.
There is an openness to Amrit that is extremely infectious. Her excitable energy on set, her willingness to go over and beyond for each shot, and her dedication to creating something powerful (seven changes later, she was ready for one more) all come together, bringing in an element of honesty to her work. She’s a successful international model, yes, but she is also extremely relatable. The perfect girl next door. I mean, she ordered and devoured pani puri on the set; does it get any more real?! It is, perhaps, this very quality that makes her so successful. “I used to have tendencies of staying invisible and holding back, but Paris felt like a reincarnation, a place that pulled the different layers of my self-expression out of me and into the world,” she reflects.
Despite hitting new strides in Paris, Punjab remains the grounding factor. “Our lives in Punjabi villages are very still and slow-paced. It suits my nature; I don’t like to rush things. I’d rather sustain myself in the moment.” Currently, back home in Kapurthala, Amrit is taking a well-deserved break from a year that kept her super busy. “Whenever I am back among my family of farmers, at the intersection between soil, nature, and joyful souls, I’m filled with deep satisfaction. To see my eldest uncle still working actively on his farms, to reunite with the stray dogs and cats we rescue every year, and eat my mother’s homemade food while my father teaches me something new about the plants and their Ayurvedic properties – my days here are always a sweet whisper of simplicity. I look forward to carrying this energy into the new year.”
You’d expect that navigating a career as a model and jet-setting across fashion capitals for the most coveted shows would keep Amrit thoroughly engaged. However, as a true blue Gen-Z, she balances the hustle and makes time for activities that bring her joy. “I recently bought an apartment in Paris and enjoy creating an Indo-Japanese world there.” She finds her true calling in creativity. “On my days off, I sort of take myself on a date to some spontaneous destination; it could be a visit to a bookstore or a walk in a new neighbourhood. It’s a time when new inspirations seep in. When you feel more connected to the life you breathe, you find more excitement in little things.”
The ELLE India shoot featured some of Amrit’s prized artworks as part of the set design, something that she’s had on her list of must-dos. “I’ve been meaning to do an art exhibition, and my first ELLE cover story with my work is only strengthening that vision. I’m excited to see where this dream lands in 2024!”.
“I’ve made some kind of art all my life. Over the years, I’ve danced between drawing, painting, writing, and sculpting. Creating artwork is my way of communicating with life and others. When I started working in fashion, it exposed me to another form of artistic expression. I’ve seen my modelling work as a form of performance art. And since then, it’s become even more physical and emotive.”
The multi-hyphenate also works closely with her foundation, Dharath, which focuses on solving global environmental issues. A cause that she’s been close to since she was a teenager. “When I was 14, I was appointed the leader of an ecological project at school. We would go around in villages conducting surveys on the health of the soil, the impact of pollution and various farming practices. We would also work on providing sustainable solutions to issues responsible for environmental problems in our areas.
When I found stable footing in fashion and returned to Punjab during the pandemic, I was keen to investigate our environmental issues in rural areas again. After a meeting with my father and our gurdwara community, Dharath (earth in Gurmukhi) came into existence. We started with reforestation, donating plants, and environmental awareness.” Showcasing her deep commitment to everything she is passionate about, Amrit is also studying environmental science to help “unpack the challenges at hand and come up with practical solutions.“
Another new milestone this year – as Amrit is only getting started – has been her journey with cinema. “An urge to say something bigger than myself has completely taken over me. I knew I wanted to act, but I also wanted to make films. Especially when there is a lack of female representation in the space. I wrote a short screenplay, part fictional and part inspired by a personal experience, and let imagination breathe it into a visually poetic world called Before Ears. The story follows Naya, a young woman, running through her internal quandary but, by chance, meeting a stranger who’d help her unravel something significant without even saying a word.”
I ask her to describe her journey in her own words. How would the biography begin? “I’m an individual who likes to explore and express herself in many ways. Be it through my work in fashion, environmental space and art, I’d like to shape the global stage for brown women and use my platform to inspire a new generation of Indian creatives, breaking limits.”
The theme for our anniversary issue is the future: what does that mean for Amrit? “I believe the future will reflect the unique voices of today. You could be a model, an artist, an activist, an actor, or a filmmaker, all together, without restricting yourself to a singular identity. See yourself as part of a bigger picture rather than viewing yourself through a tunnel vision.”
While her focus is on the future, her past struggles also affect how she perceives the world. “I believe where I am today is a product of every hardship, failure, success, and blessing. I don’t have any regrets. I deem real success to be a state of mind where you have fewer and fewer regrets. I’ve put myself out of my comfort zone so many times, and it’s something I’d keep on doing.”
Self-compassion has also helped Amrit form a better, healthier relationship with herself. “I only have kindness and gratitude towards my teenage self because even when she felt held back, eventually, she showed courage to start believing in herself, and it’s got me to where I am today. I have my goals, but I do not set any deadlines to achieve them; I just focus on the actions and the flow of energy that’ll lead me there. This understanding is an important achievement in my inner world.”
And what does she deem as her most significant professional achievement so far? “I’d be honest; I’ve spent years actively doing art but finally got an opportunity to be on a cover with my artwork. It feels like breaking a ceiling in many ways, the birth of something new and a dream come true.” We cannot help but agree; cheers to a new year and to a fashion model who is rewriting the rules and putting herself first.
ELLE India Editor: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, Photographer: Avani Rai, Fashion Editor: Zoha Castelino (styling), Asst. Art Director: Sanjana Suvarna (cover design), Words: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, Hair and Makeup: Mitesh Rajani (Feat. Artists), Bookings Editor: Aliza Fatma, Assisted by: Komal Shetty, Nirali Patel (Styling); Raaina Jain, Mitali Lakhotia(bookings), Production: Cut Loose Productions, Artist’s Reputation Management: Special Beauties Official
Read the full story on ELLE India’s new issue or download your digital copy via Magzter.
