“There is an old saying about artists that says that an artist is a dreamer consenting to dream of the actual world. True artists are almost the only ones who do their work for pleasure. The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.”
A creator, investor and entrepreneur, Masoom Minawala Mehta is also a regular on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet, having walked the carpet three times in a row. A TEDx speaker, she is also a Generation Equality Ally at UN Women, India and a council member at the Women India Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Masoom was also the youngest and the first Indian creator who walked the runway as a showstopper at Milan Fashion Week for Vaishali S, the first Indian female designer to showcase at the prestigious event.
Featured in Forbes India, Masoom is also the author of She Will Never Make It, a self-help book for those who are looking for a guide to help them achieve their dreams and navigate unusual careers. Launched in April 2024, her book is now available on Amazon and Crossword.
Entrepreneurial spirit
A little-known fact about Masoom is that at the age of 19, she began her first entrepreneurial venture. Even though the venture proved to be a sinking ship, the very first venture was selling shoes that were imported from China. Unfortunately, the business failed within a year.
In terms of her background, Massom has a degree in Fashion Styling from the University of the Arts London and hails from a family of jewellers in Mumbai. Married to Antwerp-based diamond merchant, Shailin Mehta in 2016, she has found the perfect balance to juggle her roles as a creator, investor and entrepreneur.
As surprising as it may sound, Masoom never planned on being a creator of fashion enthusiast. In fact, growing up, all she cared about was sports, reading and art. It was before she gave the 12th boards that she started exploring fashion and soon found a panache for it. Her first internship was with a fashion designer and that is pretty much what got her into blogging.
Her journey as a creator began with her blog Miss Style Fiesta, where she used to offer fashion and styling tips frequently. With the growth of social media, she soon shifted to vlogging and gained significant traction over the years.
Today, she has over 1.3 million followers on Instagram and leads a team of 15 full-time employees who manage the Masoom Minawala brand online.
Impact
As an active angel investor who believes in giving back to society, she has created a major impact over the years by investing in several early-stage startups. She has also launched Empowher, an initiative that supports female entrepreneurs.
Her other work includes running a not-for-profit campaign #SupportIndianDesigners that she launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to promote local talent and designers.
Featured in CNN’s ‘20 under 40’ and HSBC’s global list of female entrepreneurs, Masoom advocates for women to stand up for themselves, especially in the face of online criticism and trolls, something she believes should not be trivialised no matter what.
For more updates about Masoom Minawala Mehta, follow @masoomminawala on Instagram.
