modeling by ‘Tygrr’ DosRemedios

Photoshoot information:

1. Wakesurf: ShredStixx boards by slayshTank (http://slayshtank.com/)

2. Surfing: Dan Taylor board, slayshTank apparel

model ‘Tygrr’ DosRemedios

Waiting for finals to be done so you can bask in the sun? Well, it’s almost over, and we’re here for you!

Check out our newest BG model, Saba Danawala, as she lives our her summer dreams.

check out the complete photoshoot on our flickr page and our facebook fan page.

Join model Puja Amin in celebrating the beginning of a new month!

see the complete shoot on our Flickr page or on our Facebook Fan Page!

Meet our newest model Akriti Pokhrel.

I was born in Nepal, Kathmandu and I moved to Texas 6 years back with my family. I’m loving Texas very much because it’s a very laid back and calm state which kind of defines me. By nature I’m a very calm and quite person!

Life took a completely different turn for me when I came down here with my family. I completely had no idea what to expect here. Being in new surroundings with new people always scares me. It took a while for me to adjust but at the end I can say that I completely love being here. I’m currently pursuing a Bachelors in Medicine. I always had the inner desire to work at hospitals especially at a Children Hospital. I just love being around children. I plan on working at Children Hospital once I pursue my degree.

Working full time and going to school full time seems quite a lot. But, it’s not that hard as it seems like. You always need to manage your time accordingly. In fact, I chose to go to school and work full time because it keeps me busy all the time. I see everyday as an accomplishment. It’s a great feeling when you get paid for your hard work. Which is exactly how I feel at the end of the day when I come home tired of a long day at school and work.

My family has always been supportive no matter what I do. All I can say is I m one of the luckiest to have such a great family. Even though I want to pursue a career in a medicine, my love for modeling had always been growing within me. As of right now, I m enjoying my school and work. Needless to say, I m enjoying my life at the moment. In the coming few years, hopefully I see myself being a part of Children Hospital and of course Modeling is my first love. Always will be. I thank Brown Girl Magazine for giving me this opportunity to be a part of them.

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/03/spring-into-action/feed/ 2 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/01/the-january-issue/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/01/the-january-issue/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:10:44 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=1414 photography by Thuy Ly

It’s a new year, and it’s time to take charge of your life. Where will this year take you?

There are adventures around each corner. What surprises will you find?

New friends and new stories. Are you ready?

It’s twenty-ten and you’re ready to have some fun!

see more of our photoshoot on our flickr page.

Here at Brown Girl we celebrate smart, hip, and beautiful South Asian women. For our fall issue, we would like you to meet Latha Yakkala.

Latha Yakkala is a South Asian American woman with a love for her heritage and an ambition to find a balance between the Indian and American worlds.  She is a first year medical student, and she aspires to bring back the Care in Healthcare by applying a humanistic approach to her practice as a future physician.  When she’s not studying, she enjoys watching endless episodes of Friends and listening to all kinds of music, especially anything by Justin Timberlake.  She loves to exercise her creativity through dance, whether that may be through Bharatanatyam, Bollywood, or just a fun night out.  Her other favorite pass times lie in interior decorating, reading and/or watching Harry Potter, reading any captivating books, and trying new restaurants.

Brown Girl Magazine

Summer ‘Back to Basics’ Issue

photographs by Thuy Ly

School’s out, the sun is bright, and it’s time to get back to the basics. You’ve got a great summer ahead of you, and Brown Girl is packed with new stories and fun created just for you.

Got a Summer Internship? Ismath Mohideen shows you how to make the most of your professional experience.

Graduation came and went and now it’s time to move on to the next stage of life–back home with mom and dad?! Don’t worry you’re not alone. Sunita Dharani discusses the trials of moving back home.

If you haven’t found your dream job yet, Sunita shows us how you can use the Indian Network.

Our very own ‘Ladies Liaison‘ Survam Patel, has cooked up some great ideas for you to show your man you appreciate him. Or, if you’re just not that into him, Syeda Hasan has some tips to let him down the right way.

Had a great semester full of partying and drinking? This could be a time to reflect back on your choices. Shruti Purohit explores the everlasting Drinking Dilemma.

Don’t waste away your summer! You’ve got time to make an even more fabulous you. Check out Sharmeen Hirani’s “Summer Make Over Inside and Out” and Ismath’s 12 Healthy Habits.

Summer also means finally getting a chance to focus on your style.  Musleha Munir shows you how to perfect the smokey-eye and how to shop in your own closet.

For more beauty and style tid-bits, Fauzeya Rahman profiles the impact of global fashion trends in her piece titled “From Panama Hats to Parachute Pants”.

And if that weren’t enough we have some spectacular interviews! Check out Pooja Patel’s exclusive interview with the  fabulous Magical Anjali, a great musician and artist with South Asian roots.

Then take time to check out this month’s Brown Boy, Ricky Bhatia. This singer and aspiring producer will sure to leave you impressed.

As you can tell, the BG staff cooked up some amazing finds dedicated to you. Summer is here, so take out some time for the fourth issue of Brown Girl.

Brown Girl: Written for you, by girls just like you.

by Thuy Ly

Spring is here along with a brand new issue of Brown Girl. And boy do we have some treats for you! The Brown Girl Staff has been working super hard to bring you fresh, exciting stories dedicated to- well, YOU! Check out what’s in the Spring Issue:

Cover Stories:

The Fair Skin Battle by Ismath Mohideen

Diversifying Our Times by Fauzeya Rahman

Cheapo Beauty: Make-up on a Budget by Musleha Munir

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Spotlight:

Never Been Kissed by Anonymous

Decorate Your Space by Pooja Patel and Darshana Magan

20 Things to Do in Your 20s by Shruti Purohit

Must Hear Music by Pooja Patel

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by Thuy Ly

Beauty and Style:

Spring Fashion Do’s and Don’ts by Musleha Munir

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Culture:

The Arranged Way by Sunita Dharani

A Crash Course in Culture by Syeda Hasan

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Career:

Career Path to Happiness by Ismath Mohideen

All Grown Up: How-to-Guide on Becoming a Working Girl by Asma Hassan

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by Thuy Ly

Hot Topic:

I Know What Boys Like by Survam Patel

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Bonus:

Rina Gandhi: Local Ace of Cakes by Aditi Mehta

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Brown Boy

Brown List

Like always, our staff is eager to hear what you think! Feel free to leave comments or shoot us an email at staff@browngirlmagazine.com. And don’t forget to tell your girlfriends.  Brown Girl. Smart. Hip. Beautiful.

Malati backstage with her model, Kezia.

Many young women say they have a passion for fashion, but Malati Vasudevan is one of the few women who have taken a passion and turned it into a serious career path. Since she was twelve, Vasudevan knew she wanted to design high fashion and see it walk down the runway. Now, at her final semester at The University of Texas at Austin, Vasudevan sees her dreams coming true.

Just last semester, Vasudevan completed her senior design project by designing four unique garments. After months of sketching, fabric matching, and stitching, she saw her designs come to life.

“It was completely surreal. When I was actually seeing the models walk down from back stage, I knew it was something I want to do for the rest of my life. It was the best feeling in the world,” said Vasudevan of her first fashion show experience.

However, it was not an easy road to from paper to runway. For senior design students at The University of Texas, the final spring semester was packed with long hours in sewing lab in order to create original garments from scratch.

“I basically lived at the sewing lab. I went home to sleep for four hours and I just took breaks to eat or go to class. All my weekends were taken up. I did this for the entire semester up until the fashion show at the end of April,” said Vasudevan.

Malati's designs from the University of Texas Fashion Show.

Even with all the hard work and sacrifices, Vasudevan does not regret any of it. Her dreams of becoming the next top fashion designer started at a very young age, after seeing a classic Disney movie princess dance in a very famous yellow gown.

“I have always loved drawing women’s clothing, especially after watching Beauty and the Beast. I fell in love with Belle’s yellow dress. I memorized how to draw it and I drew it over and over again, making my own changes,” said Vasudevan.

After seeing her passion and obvious talent, Vasudevan’s parents were impressed. Though, they initially hoped it was a phase and that she’d eventually grow out of it, her parents knew Vasudevan would not be another doctor or engineer. Today, they encourage her to finish her Marketing degree, in addition to her Fashion minor, before moving onto higher education in fashion design. Now, her battle lies in convincing her traditional parents that her designs, although risqué, are still worth wearing.

“My parents loved my designs. I mean it wasn’t necessarily clothing they would want me to wear, but they knew how much work I put in and they were proud of me,” said Vasudevan of her parent’s reaction after she presented her designs to them for the first time.

Model wearing one of Malati's designs in the Winter Fashion Show at the University of Texas.

As a South Asian woman, Vasudevan gets her inspiration from Indian textiles and clothing styles and has injected them into her designs. During her family trips to India, Vasudevan scoured the city streets for colorful and uniquely printed fabrics, using them for inspiration for new designs.

“I consider different ethnic textiles that are found in India. I enjoy searching through all the materials, and I want to learn more about how those materials were made and where they were manufactured,” said Vasudevan.

Most of all, Vasudevan hopes to create designs with a more modern taste that appeals to all types of women, not just South Asians. Her innovative cocktail dresses show a distinctive fusion of textures and prints with a modern feel. Judges at The University of Texas Fashion Show took notice and awarded Vasudevan with “Most Innovative”.

“I get my inspiration from mainly what I see in style now and what I can see myself wearing in the future. I design clothing that I would like to see in a store if I went shopping. It’s definitely all about practicality and simplicity. I don’t design things that women can’t walk around in or dance in,” said Vasudevan of her designs.

As for advice for other aspiring fashion designers, Vasudevan encourages taking on internships to get valuable experience in the apparel industry. Vasudevan, herself, worked with a sportswear company for a couple of months. Through it, she had the opportunity to design swimsuits and backpacks that were displayed at trade shows.

Malati's evening gown design on the runway.

“The internship allowed me to get an overview of an apparel company. I learned about aspects such as marketing, manufacturing, and initial design phases. It was an all around experience. You really need to know that especially if you want to start your own design company,” said Vasudevan.

After graduation, Vasudevan hopes to gain valuable experience within the fashion industry through additional internships. Eventually, Vasudevan aspires to go to fashion design school and get a formal degree in the business she loves so much.

“Sometimes I am intimidated, but more often than that I’m not. I love this. It’s what I want to do. I never regret the time I’m putting into it at all. Yes, it’s very competitive, but I think it’s something I want to do, so I’ll put all my effort in it,” said Vasudevan.

On behalf of Brown Girl, we wish Malati Vasudevan best of luck in her venture and hope to see more of her soon!