International women’s day should be an everyday thing really, I do not think men realise how hard it can be to grow in a society that can be pro-male and with such narrow mindedness but things are changing! I myself a British Indian female business owner knowing the many struggles of trying to do better, get better, giving myself the strength to aim higher, a constant mind-numbing battle.

My name is Priya Jangda I am the owner of Quillattire, I am of Indian heritage, born in London. My parents immigrated from India and Africa to set up life in England. Life for them coming from a completely different culture and mindset to a more liberal way of life in England must have been hard to get their heads around. I grew up in Southall a huge South Asian society, people from all around India and Pakistan, I suppose for my parents it was easy being located in such an Indian area as getting their Indian ingredients to make their dhal, rice or lamb curry were all local and familiar.

Growing up as a British Indian girl with parents that had not quite grasped giving freedom to their only daughter as they were so overly protective was some what frustrating at times but what made me feel a little better was the rest of the brown girls I grew up around were treated the same by their parents. I suppose our parents just did not know what would happen, they came from a not-so-free country to a place that allowed more freedom to females. I was not really allowed out till late and having a social life till after university but that’s when I started to evolve into the woman I am today. I had more of a social life than my siblings.

I got into London College of Fashion to study Fashion Designer Pattern Cutter, gone were the days of studying with just seeing brown faces. As amazing as it was, the energy growing up around indian girls was somewhat insecure, certain requirements were engrained into our heads of getting married at 24, having children at 26, not wear short skirts, not drink, do not smoke, to just study and get married- to me this was such Bullshiz……all these girls including me were human, so individual but taught by their cultures that they had a certain timeline to follow - I rebelled! I did not want to follow anyone’s rules, I wanted to create my own. I got married to someone of different faith and at 32, it was not easy but worth the battles.

Seeing a mix of North Asian, South, British, people from all over the world at uni,. all from such different cultures other than Indian was such an eye-opener. What I was taught by my culture was not right, I did not want to live controlled, I wanted to be a free spirit, I mean I fought my dad to become a fashion designer because I did not want a white-collar job (no offense to anyone who has jobs like this, you are amazing!). I wanted something creative and something I enjoyed.

I would commute to university into London by train and tube, I would wander around Shoreditch and Oxford street after and before lessons and my eyes opened further - there was so much more to life than Southall. I wanted to be free as a British Indian, I wanted to enjoy my life and explore. I would definitely see the difference in me and my home friends, I would always push more for social events (be free) some just did not bother. I wanted to see more of life, and I had not then grasped the fact I could do it without somebody by my side. That was no fault of there’s, I had just decided I wanted to be a woman who was not defined by religion or culture but by myself. I was beginning to find myself and love the person I was becoming and with this energy, I met so many more like-minded people.

I started figuring out my own style, finding love in new things. I went on to work in quite a few fashion houses which included traveling the world and my eyes opened further. Travelling made me so curious and happy. My story sounds all very positive but I had to fight for the type of life I wanted to live, I had to cut out negative narrow-minded energy, to help myself grow and be happy. I have had many setbacks and people being horrible and judgemental but those feelings are temporary and will be dealt with and my story goes on as does yours. Being a woman is hard, fighting stupid people is hard, but trust me it is worth it. I suppose at least when my story is over I will smile that I made some sort of a difference. As my motto of the brand says, ‘I am who I am. Your approval is not needed.’ It is so worth fighting for the life that makes you happy and evolve, HAPPY WOMENS DAY!