Priya Ahluwalia
British-Indian-Nigerian fashion designer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Priya Ahluwalia (born 1992/1993) is a British fashion designer and founder of the apparel brand Ahluwalia. She gained notability for her approach to sustainable fashion.[1] Ahluwalia’s work focuses on upcycling, ethical practices, and exploring identity through multiculturalism.[2]
University of Westminster (MA)
Priya Ahluwalia | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992/1993 |
| Education | University for the Creative Arts (BA) University of Westminster (MA) |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Known for | Founder of the fashion label Ahluwalia |
| Awards | Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design (2021) |
Early life and education
Ahluwalia was born to a second generation British-Indian mother from Newcastle and a Nigerian father and grew up in Tooting.[3] Her multicultural upbringing influenced her design philosophy.[4]
Ahluwalia attended a girls school and had a Saturday job in Kingston.[5] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fashion from the University for the Creative Arts in 2015.[6] She completed a Master of Arts (MA) in Menswear at University of Westminster in 2018.[7][8]
Career
Ahluwalia launched the clothing brand, Ahluwalia, in 2018. The brand focuses on creating clothing using deadstock fabrics and vintage textiles.[9] Her designs draw inspiration from her trips to Lagos, Nigeria, and Panipat, India, as well as her experiences growing up in London.[10][11]
Ahluwalia has collaborated with brands such as Adidas Originals, Mulberry, Microsoft, and PUMA.[12] These include a "capsule collection" with Mulberry using repurposed leather and the Circulate platform with Microsoft, which integrates technology into upcycling.[13][14]
Ahluwalia's work has received recognition in the fashion industry for its focus on sustainability and storytelling.[15] She was awarded the H&M Design Award (2019), was a finalist for the LVMH Prize (2020), and received the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design (2021).[16][8]
In 2021, she won the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund, which carried a £150,000 cash prize along with a year of business mentoring and pro-bono legal services.[17] She was also named a finalist for the 2022 International Woolmark Prize.[18]
Ahluwalia’s designs have been featured in exhibitions and installations globally, where her use of textiles often emphasizes the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry.[19] In January 2024, she appeared on a cover of British Vogue alongside the designers Tolu Coker and Torishéju Dumi for an issue spotlighting sustainability in fashion.[20]
Books
Ahluwalia has published two photography books. Her first, Sweet Lassi, was made to accompany her MA graduate collection and documented a 2017 trip to Lagos, Nigeria, and Panipat, India, where she photographed the secondhand-clothing and textile-recycling trade.[21] Her second book, Jalebi (2020), made with the photographer Laurence Ellis and released during London's first digital fashion week, is a portrait of the Punjabi community of Southall in west London.[21][22]
Films
In November 2020, Ahluwalia released her first short film, Joy, as part of GucciFest, a digital showcase organized by Gucci. Directed by Samona Olanipekun, the documentary-style film featured community figures and celebrated Afro-Caribbean culture and the Black British experience.[23][24]