In a world where content is being consumed rapidly, the inception of Instagram reels has expanded the space for digital creators to take things up a notch. The audience is lured by a sea of content, amid which creators have to stand-out by showcasing their best in 15 seconds [a short span]. Despite a host of content being churned out on a daily basis, only a few creators have captivated the audiences by their inventive and experimental style. Ishita Mangal from Delhi is one of them.
A fashion designer who runs her label Quo, Mangal hopped on the social media bandwagon in early 2020. While her initial plan was to create content for her label, the pandemic broadened her options. She started to create a range of videos that juxtapose humour and fashion. Most people might associate fashion content with clothes, accessories and make-up, Mangal gave the domain a new dimension. With over a lakh followers on Instagram, her content has managed to garner attention and stand out from the lot.
A fresh touch to fashion
Setting foot in a fast-moving saturated space, Mangal realised that the key to standing out is by creating something different. This is when she started experimenting with content. “I started making videos when there was a lot of fashion content anyway. Even though I am more of a fashion person than a comedy person, I knew I had to do something out of the box,” she shares.
Experimentation led her to making a mix of comedy and fashion-oriented content, creating a distinct voice, which also aligns with her personal style. From comical comebacks at fashion stereotypes to dramatic depictions of day-to-day realities, Mangal’s content has carved out a niche. “Even though I started making my videos the way everyone else does, I was not comfortable doing it. I was not comfortable being the ‘fashion girl’. It was not me. I added humour because I felt more me, more connected to my videos,” she adds.
This formula has helped her reach out to a wider audience and become more relatable. “It was different, people felt that was something no one else was doing, which is why it clicked with people. However, I try to experiment with various formats so that I can keep up with the pace of Instagram,” she mentions.
Even though she is rather regular with her videos, Mangal admits that combining high-fashion styling with heartland comedy often gets challenging. “The mix of fashion and comedy did pick up and that is also why I got the attention that I did, but now when I see it, it does get challenging. You have to make sure that you are styled well, the frames are aesthetic, and there is a humour aspect too in
the video,” she shares. But since her videos are an extension of her individual style, she cannot help but keep making more of them.
Changing paradigms of fashion
Social media has created a space for everyone to have a voice and express their interests. Given the ease, there are innumerable creators making and posting content on a regular basis. Accepting this, Mangal likes to treat this competition in a healthy way. Affirming that every creator has their own language, Mangal says, “There is something to take from everyone. For example, someone is really good with styling, someone is good with drapes, knowing fabric, and production. Everyone has their forte, and I really love each and everyone else’s content for something.”
Social media is a democratic medium, and has helped fashion traverse an alternative route wherein it has become more egalitarian. “Fashion being perceived as elitist is still there but it is going in a different direction. Even big brands are looking for ways to bring fashion closer to people and make things more relatable to the audience. For instance, fashion shows have changed. While they were
only accessible to a few people within the industry, now you see fashion shows are being launched virtually, for everyone, and not just a crowd of 200 people. It is slowly expanding to a much wider audience.”
The other side
One of Mangal’s many reels explore the uncomfortable rush of emotions one experiences when their outfit is criticised by a novice, an act that is fundamental for every individual who shares their life on social media. Criticism—it may often take the form of trolling too—is inevitable. However, Mangal has unravelled her own way of dealing with unsolicited comments and trolls. “Slowly and steadily I have realised that a lot of hate and critiquing happens because of a person’s own set of problems and insecurities. I have started taking it this way. So now I take it in a way that this [trolling] has nothing to do with me or my content. It has everything to do with the other person. I just take it that way and then I forget about it,” she explains.
Mangal also affirms that since reels are time-intensive content, it gets taxing to roll out content to stay relatable on a daily basis. “Creating content everyday gets tiring. Say, if I am on a vacation and I do not want to think about content, I still have to roll out something. There really is no time for a break and if you don’t post something, your engagement really goes down. This is the only drawback of this [content creation] but I pretty much love what I do. I love social media and the videos I get to create!,” she concludes.
Various outfits styled by Ishita Mangal for her Instagram account