/ -- This International Women's Day, Levi's unveils the fifth season of the Levi's #IShapeMyWorld campaign that celebrates the power of women, and their determination to inspire change. The new season is bigger, better and bolder as it beautifully weaves in 21 changemakers into a spirited music video that encourages women to shape their own destiny.
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/832798/IShapeMyWorld.jpg )
The video features a prolific line-up of female personalities who have come together from different industries such as entertainment, fashion, sports, journalism and social change to celebrate the spirit of women empowerment. An anthem like none before, the campaign brings together industry icons like Swara Bhasker, Hard Kaur and Anjali Lama who return from previous seasons and new faces like Neena Gupta, Kubbra Sait, Sandhya Menon and Malini Agarwal.
True to the campaign thought that emphasizes on the power of the collective, Levi's assembled an all-female crew to execute this campaign and the track composed by singer-songwriter Anushqa and rapper Hard Kaur.
Meeta Bharvani, Director Marketing, Levi's India says, "The #IShapeMyWorld campaign is driven by the insight that in a world that still tries to restrain women from achieving their potential by fueling insecurities about themselves; whether it is about her 'body' or her 'being'; there are an increasing number of stories of women who took their chances and beat the odds."
"During the past 4 seasons of #ISMW, we drove inspiring stories of fearless women. This season we celebrate the power of the collective through women who are authentic, original and purposeful, all qualities that are inherent to the Levi's brand."
Link to the music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3KguX1qK_c
About the women changemakers featured in the video:
Swara Bhasker
A contemporary Bollywood actor, Swara believes in speaking her mind. Very few are as frank as her about the reality of the Hindi film industry. She has been active and vocal about existing stereotypes in the Hindi cinema right from gender discrimination, to pre-defined characteristics of a typical actress, to the portrayal of women in the society. Her belief in rising above fear and speaking out is what shapes her story.
Hard Kaur
The first Indian female hip-hop artist, Taran aka Hard Kaur broke stereotypes in her domain. With a story that epitomizes the strength that women possess within them, Hard Kaur has made a name in the industry by working hard on her skills, proving detractors wrong and encouraging others to turn their negatives into positives. Hard Kaur has written and rapped in this #IShapeMyWorld anthem.
Natasha Noel
A yogini and a motivational speaker, Natasha is a confident and passionate voice that speaks about dealing with depression and body positivity despite facing physical abuse at a young age. She actively speaks about breaking the stigma associated with such issues and propagates self-belief. Natasha believes in moving on and making it despite the odds.
Sandhya Menon
A journalist who spearheaded the #MeToo movement in India to give other women the courage to voice their stories, Sandhya writes about her life, mental health and parenting. She is a force to reckon with in contemporary times.
Sonal Giani
Sonal is a prominent LGBTQA activist who has passionately voiced her opinions on women empowerment and feminism. Today, she is a social hero to youth through her unflinching commitment towards encouraging a society for identity acceptance and equal opportunities. Being outed without consent at the age of 19 - it has been a long and arduous journey for her. Her work with the Humsafar Trust, an organization working for the rights of the LGBTQ community has earned her a credible and strong name in the community.
Malini Agarwal
Malini is an entrepreneur and founder of the biggest entertainment portal in India - Miss Malini. Her journey towards being the most relevant name in celebrity lifestyle and fashion, started with her couch and laptop. Today, her platform is often touted as the country's biggest news empire for entertainment as she started the trend of Bollywood blogging. Her journey has inspired many young people - that everything has small beginnings. Malini has also started a platform called Girl Tribe which was to give women a chance to voice their opinions.
Kanchan Daniel
A musician, a clinical psychologist and a proud cancer survivor, all at the age of 27 years; Kanchan is a woman of strong resolve. She is shaping her musical world with grit and determination to go and follow her dreams. Kanchan is the lead singer of her band - Kanchan Daniel & the Beards which is the next big thing in blues rock. She along with her band, is striving to revive the genre.
Gurmehar Kaur
An activist and a student in Delhi, Gurmehar has raised her voice against campus violence and several other issues that led her to become a poster girl for feminism. The brand ambassador of Postcards for Peace and a TED Talks (India) speaker on the power of raising your voice; she speaks about liberalism and freedom of expression to name a few.
Kaneez Surka
Kaneez, known as the improv queen, was one of the first women stand-up improv comedians in India. The way she turned tables in her favour and fought through by making a career in comedy is inspiring. She supported the #MeToo movement and called out a fellow comedian for misbehaving with her in public. Kaneez is a liberated voice that uses humor to speak for herself and shape her world.
Anjali Lama
Anjali is the first transgender model to walk the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week. She was faced with challenges and rejection ever since she stepped foot in Mumbai. When she discovered her truth and learned her rights, she knew it would set her free at the cost of the comfort of society. Fighting the stigma of being a transgender, she is a symbol of the survival instinct that women in our times must develop to get their due.
Srishti Dixit
Srishti is a proud feminist and her content on social media validates her position. She has a liberated voice that speaks about various issues pertaining to women's rights and issues in the society. Her humorous take on daily life situations, makes her a very popular yet firm voice.
Kubbra Sait
Kubbra has risen to fame through the hard-hitting role of a transgender in Sacred Games. Her entry into Bollywood was not easy but she decided to live outside the box. Kubbra is a modern, creative voice who refuses to bow down as she feels that women should garnish themselves with self-belief.
Neena Gupta
Neena, a veteran actress, has been an inspirational voice for women across generations. She has been shaping her bold, confident world since an era that did not expect women to have any voice at all. Her life choices have shaken traditional mindset/sensibilities. Her growth as a woman, a mother and a hopeless romantic has been inspirational.
Prashasti Singh
A comedian, her stand-up performances are often centered around everyday struggles of women in a big city. She refused to conform to the societal construct and found her voice through stand-up; Prashasti believes that being fearless is more fun. She is one of the few women who have succeeded in comedy, which has been primarily dominated by men.
Anushqa
Anushqa is the voice behind this anthem and her life experiences have translated beautifully into the power of this song. Bullied as a child, overcoming low self-esteem and seeking people's approval has challenged her. She is a strong believer that one needs to take risks to get places.
Deepti Asthana
A photographer who travelled across India to capture the real struggles of women; she uses photography as a medium to express herself. Today, her camera brings out the stories of Indian women who have been overshadowed for too long. A photo-storyteller, she is shaping a beautiful world of her own. Her project, Women of India, showcases everyday battles the women are fighting - mostly survival struggles.
Toshada Uma
A model, Toshada is a young woman challenging notions and breaking barriers in modeling. Her DIY projects are slowly but steadily changing people's perception of beauty. Suffering from alopecia, she decided to shave her head to be comfortable with it and felt brave, powerful and free. Toshada is a voice of confidence and self-belief therefore, a solid voice of #IShapeMyWorld.
Singh sisters
Divya, Pratima, Prashanti and Akanksha are the Singh sisters from Banaras, who played basketball at a national level, represented the country and inspired girls across the nation to take up the sport. Born to a conservative ecosystem, where women are only expected to stay within the confines of their kitchens and homes, the Singh sisters decided to be the change. Fueled by their passion for basketball the sisters channelized all the negativity being poured on to them to represent Indian National Women's Basketball team. By fighting the conservative society and living their dreams, the Singh sisters have set an example for others to follow.
About the Levi's brand
The Levi's brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, Levi's jeans have become one of the most recognizable garments of clothing in the world - capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi's brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading Jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style. For more information about the Levi's brand, its products, and stores, please visit levi.in.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
