A Model, Actor, and Fashion Influencer, Rahi Chadda has worked with luxury fashion and beauty brands including Louis Vuitton, Estee Lauder, Chopard, Viktor, and Rolf, and BVLGARI. He is based between London, India, and the Middle East.
Born and raised in London, Rahi has been featured on the covers of Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia Pakistan, Elle India, L’Officiel Arabia and features in Vogue India, GQ, and Cosmopolitan India. His following has naturally grown on social media and he now has more than a million followers on Instagram.
When Rahi has a minute spare, you can find him at his East London-based skin-clinic Panache and Marina. Chadda is the first brown male ambassador for Dior Beauty and has collaborated with luxury brands like Gucci, Armani, Fendi, Prada, and more on his Instagram account.
In a quick gupshup with Social Nation, Rahi Chadda talks about his love for entrepreneurship, reading fashion books for inspiration, creating reels and gaining significant reach, and more.
Excerpts:
Having featured on the covers of Grazia Pakistan, Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia Pakistan, Elle India, L’Officiel Arabia, how do you see yourself evolving as a digital star in the years?
Over the years, creating content has become like second nature and it still feels fulfilling. The evolution came through the dynamic work opportunities and attending fashion weeks along with other prolific events. It helps to carve your personality and opens your mind up to a different world.
Also, reading fashion books, autobiographies, watching documentaries has all been a huge source of inspiration for me to work on my craft.
The content creation space has exponential growth back home. What is your view and how do you view the content community in India vis-à-vis its global counterparts?
It’s fascinating to see the content community in India. It’s a thriving industry with great engagement and creativity. This is what I truly love about social media, how it has given all of us a platform to share our work and build our own communities that bring us together.
Taking a trip down memory lane, where and how were you first found by the talent hunters? Which was your first piece of viral content.
So I came from a background of modeling and slowly began to dabble into creative direction and creating content, as it’s something which I really enjoyed. Brainstorming different locations, creating mood boards, and producing content that was more editorial where I submerged into the character of the brief. Instagram reels for me worked superbly.
The reaction and engagement on my reels really helped in growing my audience. I treat my reels like mini-movies where I escape into different parts of the city, sometimes even different countries (depending on the project). I like to look back and think I’m creating this bank of content that will have longevity and still be relevant in 10 years.
I’ve not been someone to just jump on to trends and produce content that way. Not that there is anything wrong with it, it’s fun to play around with current trends, but trends are seasonal and I treat my work like art, which I want to be timeless.
Do you remember the first brand that came your way? How was the experience and how has it changed over the years considering your trust with brands and promotions?
Yes! It was for a skincare brand during Christmas, and I got to do a bit of writing on the project too. Honestly, it was a lot of fun and I had it professionally shot. It is interesting to look back as that first piece of content is still aligned with the kind of consistency and quality that I would keep today and something I’ll be proud to share but it’s just a different version of me.
With a more extensive creative vision now I would change a few things up, but still retain that previous version of my personality in the content, which my earlier followers can also resonate with.
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How do you go about working on brand briefs? What’s the creativity freedom stature and how do you view the monetization part?
I enjoy brainstorming with mood boards and taking inspiration with what is around me: nature, culture, colors, ambiance. Maybe it’s an editorial in a magazine I saw a few years back, or even recently that can inspire my ideas.
Essentially, I keep an open mind to the inspiration I am surrounded by. I am fortunate enough to work with brands that enable me to have creative freedom in my direction toward the content, but at the same time, its crucial to keep the brand’s objectives in mind to ensure the content is also aligned with their vision but is an expression of my own art.
Art has no boundaries but sometimes it’s important to reign it in and has a more pragmatic approach on certain briefs to ensure the objectives of the brief are abided to.
How do you describe yourself in a hashtag and why?
The Hashtag would be Dynamic – it’s my new favorite word!
Looking back and now, how have you emerged as a skillful influencer for fashion and style? What’s your mantra to keep creating content?
The mantra is really to enjoy the work. It is the love and passion that goes behind the creation which keeps me going. I really love being creative and find it fulfilling, that’s probably what has kept me going all these years.
How do you deal with online trolls and stigma?
Occupational hazards are part of the job. Keep your head held high, maintain a positive attitude, focus on the work and remember why you’re doing this in moments of despair.
Three unknown facts about you?
1. Entrepreneurship spirit, I’ve been running my own skincare clinic since I was 21.
2.I’m into crime documentaries
3.French fries are my kryptonite
Which social media app you can’t live without and why?
Instagram- lets me reach my followers directly and in real-time
Which trending reel are you currently hooked onto?
The Kaacha Badaam trend was so addictive to watch! Guilty pleasure!
Lastly, what would you be your advice to the budding content creators out there who dream to make it big in the industry?
We are currently in an exciting space and lots of fresh talent are being given great opportunities to showcase their work. I always say to keep working hard, maintain discipline, enjoy what you’re doing and really focus on improving and perfecting your craft. When you love what you do, the audience sees that – they resonate with it and feel inspired.
