In the first of our ‘people in focus’ series, we spoke with Arti Sandhu, aka @sideways_toupee whose Instagram name is a parody on her self-cut sideways hairstyle, which she often jokes looks like a toupee. A fashion professor at the University of Cincinnati, she is someone with an eclectic sense of style that refuses to blend with norms or conventions. So who is Arti Sandhu? Misha Paul, from Nete and a sustainable fashion enthusiast herself, chats with her to find out more.

MP: We love your page! It’s so alive with life. Tell us more about your Insta-fashion journey. 

AS: Thank you so much. My page is totally me, because aside from some accessories and the occasional saree, what you see me wearing is what I wear on a daily basis, especially when I am at work. My page is not really about conveying a particular message. I started my account originally as a parody account. But I soon fell into the trap of social media myself and began to enjoy it. So now it has morphed into a research project for a potential PhD thesis. My captions are an extension of my life and daily musings that stem from being a fashion design professor and researcher in a university setting. The photographs are my own - as in I take all my own pictures. So I see those as my artistic practice. 

MP: What is it about Instagram and the world of ‘fashion influencers’ on the medium that excites you the most?

AS: The story telling and the creativity. Of course there are some negative elements too and those make for good research observations as well. But the creativity of fashion influencers on this platform is admirable! I don’t think most people value it enough. To be honest, everything about fashion excites me. Personally, photography and fashion illustration have always been my creative pursuits. Both give me immense joy. Only recently did I begin to feature as a subject within them. And I must say I’m having quite a lot of fun.

MP: You spoke about ‘storytelling’. Share a memorable story behind one of your favorite outfits.

AS: In November 2023 I found a second-hand Gudrun Sjödén knit sweater coat wrap (coatigan) on eBay. It was part of their 2021 collection. The knit pattern is inspired by Gertrude Stein. I saw someone wearing it on IG and had been searching for a secondhand piece online ever since. One finally showed up on eBay- in a Small size, from Ukraine. I decided to end my search and purchased it. It arrived in great condition. The fit was small, but still roomy. I was happy and promptly shared it on social media at the start of November. A few days later I got a message from someone on Instagram saying she loved the sweater coat. And while looking for one herself, she had found someone selling a size Medium in Germany on a local resale site. It was too big for her. But she had a friend who was planning to travel to the US from Germany in December, and so she wondered if I would be willing to swap my Small for this Medium size? There were a couple of snags in this story. a) I did not know her and vice versa. b) The sweater in Germany had a mended hole. She was worried I would back out once the sweater arrived because of the hole. And I was worried there would be no sweater at all. We went back and forth a bit and finally decided to give it go. Hoping for the best I put the sweater aside and waited. Come January she had the Medium sized sweater from Germany packed in a bag ready to ship to me. Since she had trusted me thus far, I packed my Small-sized sweater and sent it off in the mail the next day. We both received our swapped items within days of each other. Now she has one that fits her and I have one that fits me better! It was the most insane and adorable journey.

MP: That sounds so much fun! Like a manna from heaven. How do you help your students understand the narrative potential of clothing?

AS: I try to be an example for them in daily life. But aside from that, a lot of my studio emphasis is on concept development and research to inform design. I try to ensure that I bring a global perspective into the classroom. 

MP: What challenges do you see in the future of fashion, and how are you preparing your students for them?

AS: Waste is the single biggest issue we face. We make too much, we design too much, and not much of it is worth keeping because it holds little value.  

MP: How do you incorporate sustainability into both your fashion choices and your teaching curriculum?

AS: It is a journey I am working on. In my own fashion choices it is often about fiber choices and trying to purchase handloom items when possible. In the design studio it is to ensure students design meaningful things that offer a unique perspective - worthy of deeper engagement.

MP: Do you have a fashion guilty pleasure—something you know is a bit over-the-top but you love it anyway?

AS: I think a few of my purchases from Injiri have felt like guilty pleasures. And my obsession with matching tights with shoes. I love everything about “Drag” as well and find it a fascinating medium for challenging the rigidity of gender norms and the clothing styles that come with it.  

By Misha Paul

Team Nete