Seerat Saini’s PATH TO success WAS PRETTY MUCH inevitable.

The University of Southern California graduate made the dean’s list during her Marshall School of business, and built an impressive corporate career with stints at Google and Meta. All the while, Saini had been carving out a distinctive space for herself online by showcasing her love of statement pieces, vintage finds, and outfits that tell a story.

Saini has built a loyal social media following by proving that personal style is as much about a love of culture as it is about clothes. Here, we speak to Saini about the childhood memories that shaped her love of fashion, the surprising comparisons between tech sales and content creation, and the impact she hopes to have on the next generation of Desi women. Read more about Seerat Saini’s journey in the C&C 100 interview below.

What’s an early memory that shaped how you see or understand fashion today?

I think my favorite pastime as a child was watching my mom get ready–especially in her Indian saris and lehengas. She has always had such impeccable taste and the most modelesque stature. My sister and I used to watch her get ready, wait outside while she changed and then clap when she walked out in her full look–her own little hype squad led by Dad! I saw fashion as transformative–something to be celebrated and appreciated.

Describe the ‘aha’ moment that made you decide to pivot from a career in tech to being a full-time fashion content creator.

I feel like, as a daughter of immigrants, the only acceptable “aha” moment has to come in the form of making more from influencing than my corporate job at Meta! That was the proof of concept both of us needed to realize that this isn’t just playing dress up and posting–this was big business. But I understand their hesitation as it comes from a place of love and worry. Our parents don’t want to see us struggle to make a living. Also, my sister became a doctor and fulfilled that dream for them…so I felt free to be the wildcard! Someone has to keep things interesting! I always wanted to work in fashion and beauty, and life took a different turn, but I feel like content creation has allowed me to come back to it on my own terms! And I think it was important to my parents that I have a college degree and real corporate experience to “fall back on” before choosing to pursue a creative career. But all skills are compounding and I think all my prior education and corporate experience set me up to be a successful creative!

Can you walk us through how an outfit typically comes together for you—from inspiration to the final look?

I am a statement piece girl…almost to a fault, where I’ll find myself pairing unexpected items simply because I don’t own basics. When I’m at vintage stores, or creating a custom piece with a designer or simply browsing online, I like to collect and create pieces that speak to me through shape, texture, or color. Every outfit has a hero piece that I base the look around. Even if I don’t know how/where/when I’ll wear it–if it speaks to me as a hero piece, I’ll pick it up. Sometimes the wand chooses the wizard–or as my best friend says: buy the outfit and the occasion will come. After choosing the hero piece, it’s all about creating the story around it. Are we mixing textures, colors, metals? Are we dressing her up or down? And a lot of this will depend on where I’m going, but it’s so fun to create different backstories and characters to style the entire look around. Who is she? Fashion is so fun and transformative!

“I always say I hope I come back Desi in every life.”

You’ve spoken about challenging stereotypes about South Asian women—how intentionally do you weave that into your content, and where do you see it resonating most?

I think living my life freely and unapologetically is the most audacious thing I can do as a South Asian woman. I never intended to “break stereotypes”, but we are the first generation of South Asians to exercise free will. We get a choice in who we marry, what we wear, and where we go. We make our own money, and we get to live life on our own terms—so that’s exactly what I do! If that helps someone see that being South Asian doesn’t mean you have to adhere to certain outdated practices or fit into certain stereotypes, I think that’s absolutely amazing! But I don’t think it’s as intentional as someone may think! I love being Desi–I always say I hope I come back Desi in every life. But I think there are incredibly misogynistic aspects to our culture that I don’t think need to be kept alive. Shoutout to the women in the generation before us who are not passing down generational trauma and are standing up for their daughters’ rights to live audaciously–we stand on their shoulders!

Did working at major companies like Google and Facebook prepare you for the business side of being a content creator? If so, how?

I truly believe education and hard work are never a waste! All skills are compounding and working at Google and Facebook has made me a much better creator in all aspects! I feel like I know how to analyze data, problem solve, red line contracts…but most importantly, how to talk to people. I think there is such a fine art to communication in business: one that balances between being kind and authentic but also firm. I also fear we are losing the ancient texts of how to write a professional email. And while management can do all of the above for you, I still think it’s so important for creators to know how to do it on their own! At the end of the day, you have to strategize on how to grow your platforms and own your book of business when it comes to brand partnerships. So while tech sales and content creation may seem like totally different paths, they’re actually more similar than you might think!

What’s one word that describes the era your career is in?

I feel like I’m in that phase where I’m a little fish in a big pond. I still feel so new, but somehow simultaneously have girls now that have followed me since my tech days! It’s wild how I can feel so fresh yet also seasoned in this ever changing career.

What’s one garment or accessory that can make or break an outfit?

GIRL, SHOES! I only recently discovered (to the dismay of my bank account) the power of a good shoe and it has truly changed my entire outlook on styling. I think so much of putting together a look is subjective…but a shoe can be so right or so wrong.

What does long-term success look like for your brand?

Long term success for me means staying connected with my core audience. I know they will support me and root for me, in whatever direction I choose to take beyond content. I feel so incredibly lucky to have this connection and no matter what, that’s what I want to always nurture and grow.

Rapid fire POP QUIZ:

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is…

snooze my alarm 10 times. Hot girls are sleepy girls and I don’t make the rules!

A song that describes the era I’m in right now is…

“We’re Going to Ibiza” by the Vengaboys. Americans are typically unfamiliar with the lore, but I stand ten toes down that they are the best 90s group! So fun, so camp, and I will in fact be going back to Ibiza this summer.