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"We're talking about a country where women wear pink saris and jewels just to do ordinary tasks," Doonan said. "It seems like a no-brainer to me. I can't believe people are touting it as a new thing. Style and India are inseparable. Go to an Indian wedding, hello."
And frankly, times are tough. Mainstream designers and brands have to reach out to regions like Asia and the Middle East, whether they like it or not. The rising popularity of Indian models parallels the rising status of India as a global powerhouse, with a growing middle class of consumers who want to see themselves reflected in advertising and marketing.
"I think as corporations look at their bottom lines, particularly now as our economy is failing, they're going to look to other countries for models," said Marvet Britto, founder of The Britto Agency, a New York-based PR and marketing firm. "Maybe Americans don't have money, but they sure have money in the United Arab Emirates, in China, in Korea."
Britto also believes the fact that President-elect Obama is of mixed race will force designers and brands to diversify, fast.
"You're going to see more and more faces of color in advertising than we've ever seen, particularly now that we have a man of color in one of the most important offices in the world," she said. "Everyone's going to want to say, 'Hi, look at me, I'm diversifying.' Any company that doesn't diversify won't be seen as a forward thinking, progressive company."
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