Extraordinaire: Diipa Khosla

L’Officiel Arabia: How was your experience at Cannes this year?

Diipa Khosla: Cannes Film Festival this year was such a different experience from all the expectations I had. This is my 4th year attending and you would think that after 3 years you possibly all that can go wrong. I had an allergic reaction the day of my Red Carpet Appearance and while I was ready to cancel all my appointments that day I had a call with my mom. Ultimately her words of encouragement was all I needed. She told me that I'm more than just my face and beauty and that showing up for an event is more than just how you look, what dress you wear or who you are pictured with. I know that every woman and men has been at that point, cancelling an appointment because they "didn't" look good. This just got me thinking, why do we put such pressure on ourselves and why does it even matter. I can bring the same work, resilience and mind to an event no matter how I look.

LOA: Tell us your reason to be at Cannes ?

DK: I absolutely love attending the Cannes Film festival every year and celebrate Cinema. This year was truly special for me because India, my home country, was the Country of Honour. Finally, Representation of India was all apparent from the movies to the actors and actresses to the amazing souls behind the scenes. 

I broke the barriers for Indian influencers 4 years ago with my first appearance in 2018 and it warms my heart to see the opportunities created.

LOA: Are you working on any new projects?

DK: Something big is in the works. I just launched my beauty brand in the US & UK in October and we are coming home to India with a big bang this year. It was so important for me to bring my idea of beauty into a country that is still dominated by very rigid beauty standards. Ultimately, we decided to make it a truly "made in India" brand where we set up the whole manufacturing in the country to contribute to its economy. Additionally, we are bringing out some exciting new products this year, I can't say too much yet but they are definitely products of our community's wishlist.

LOA: How was the shoot experience in Cannes forL'Officiel Arabia.

DK: Taking my Cannes experience this year to a whole different level where I got to not only walk 3 Red Carpets but shoot a Cover aswell. It was a couture dream come true! I had the best time with the beautiful backdrop of the French Riviera and channeling that energy into the timeless looks we shot for the cover.

When conceptualizing the shoot, It was important for me to keep the essence of timless elegance and modern touch of colours. For the cover look I wore this beautifully pleated constructed gown by Jamemme and paired it with one of the most gorgeous yellow diamond rings by Messika. The other looks feature a petal inspired gown by Saiid Kobeisy and another airy look by Jamemme.