College holds a special place in our lives because it’s where we first discover ourselves. Whether it’s music, art or fashion, we are exposed to everything the world has to offer and take our pickings that along the line start to define us as a person. It’s also the first time we get to develop our personal styles and how we choose to represent ourselves in a rather large social setting. The campus becomes our runway as we experiment with styles that mirror our evolving identities.
Championing authentic self-expression, Myntra FWD’s Campus Squad aims to celebrate Gen Z and their passion for all things fashion while establishing a strong connection with the dynamic student community. The launch of the Myntra FWD Campus Squad signifies a commitment to honouring not just the latest trends but also the unapologetic individuality that defines Gen Z. For its Campus Squad, Myntra will enable access to unparalleled offers to our handpicked FWD Ambassadors via a plethora of leading homegrown and international brands. The Campus Tribe will be a part of FWD, Myntra's immersive app-in-app shopping experience that’s tailored for Zoomers. Campus Tribe members, consisting of students above the age of 18, will have access to an array of benefits including a 3-month Insider Trial pack, Myntra's loyalty program which entitles them to free shipping, Early Access during marquee events, 1:1 personal styling sessions and exciting offers on fresh arrivals/new season collection. A select subset of the FWD Campus Tribe will consist of the Campus Squad, who will act as representatives of the FWD Campus Tribe in their respective colleges and help in recruiting more students into the FWD Campus Tribe.
The mission is to empower students with a seamless blend of style, self-expression, independence, and a sense of belonging, with Myntra serving as a platform where they can uninhibitedly express themselves. We spoke to five Campus Ambassadors, to gain insights into the ever-evolving college fashion landscape.
Trends are like the echoes of a zeitgeist; so much so that entire fashion aesthetics are named and framed after eras — the 80s, the 90s, Y2K etc. Gen Z has carved its own distinctive style which is clear to see.
Ridhima Sinha, a student from NIFT Delhi tells us that street style and oversized clothing hold a particular sway on her campus, while maxi skirts and crochet pieces have found their way into the daily wardrobes of many, along with vibrant hair colours and distinctive accessories. Aastha Raya, a student from Christ Bengaluru is seeing a lot of Y2K fashion and Sakshi Shinde from Mumbai has noticed small tees and cami tops paired with a variety of baggy pants. Shubham Basankar, a student from NIFT Mumbai notes that throwback fashion elements like retro prints, oversized silhouettes, and classic denim cuts have made a roaring comeback, accompanied by a growing interest in affordable sustainable and eco-conscious fashion. Snigdha spotlights perennial favourites like the timeless denim-on-denim look and cargo pants with crop tops in her college.
But ‘trending culture’ is a two-way street. Trends don't exist in a vacuum; they are also created as people experiment and discover; breathing life into fresh styles that gradually weave themselves into the fabric of popular fashion.
When it comes to personal style, Ridhima prefers feminine Gen Z aesthetics — girly tops and skirts are staples in her wardrobe and fashion’s IT girl, Bella Hadid and cult favourite, Gossip Girl, are among her style inspirations. Aastha leans towards Y2K fashion, looking up to YouTube star Koleen Diaz’s style. Sakshi adores supermodel Kendall Jenner and loves baggy bottoms with small, cute tops or skirts with full-sleeve tops paired with boots. Shubham is drawn to curved lines, funky textures and pops of colour deriving inspiration from both Harry Styles and their ability to blend high fashion with daily wear as well as the aesthetic of Eric from Netflix hit Sex Education. Snigdha’s fashion sensibilities lie towards baby tees, bodycon dresses, and even the timeless elegance of kurtas.
As dedicated members of the Campus Squad, Ridhima, Aastha, Sakshi, Shubham, and Snigdha rely on Myntra FWD to curate their outfits and navigate their unique style journeys. They turn to the platform to explore their identities, drawing inspiration from its diverse collections of trends and styles. Myntra FWD not only serves as a fashion compass but also fosters a sense of authenticity and self-expression, guiding these individuals towards putting together outfits that truly reflect who they are.
Ridhima uses FWD as her personal fashion lookbook, drawing style inspiration from influencers and finding guidance on clothing combinations. Aastha values the platform's themed curations, from y2k to old-money aesthetic and the way it makes all of this budget-friendly for students by providing access to popular international brands. She also highlights the convenience of the ‘Photo Search Feature’ which allows shoppers to click a picture of a cool, new trend that piques their interest and seamlessly helps them find similar outfits available on the platform. The ‘Spot it, Get it’ feature has also been gaining popularity with Gen Z rather quickly. Sakshi sees FWD as a tool for Gen Z to discover trendy clothing, mirroring the styles of favourite actors through its ‘Celeb Inspo’ feature. Shubham emphasizes the platform’s features and particularly likes the image-based shopping from Pinterest boards as well as the way the platform's curated aesthetics enrich his own fashion sense. Snighda views FWD as a movement championing authenticity, diversity, and self-discovery over conformity, showing how it empowers Gen Z to define their own unique aesthetics.
Despite individual differences in taste, style and the myriad of influences that shape their aesthetics, what binds the Myntra FWD Campus Squad together is the fact that they use a combination of this individuality and platforms like Myntra FWD to shape the ever-shifting trajectory of the fashion zeitgeist. While trends will come and go, what remains constant is the innately human tendency to experiment, create, and learn from the world around us; whether it's art, music or even the diverse world of homegrown fashion.
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