National, 17^th October 2020.

Shoppers Stop, one of India’s leading beauty and fashion destination, is set to enthrall their audience with a series of videos attempting at breaking stereotypical beauty standards and perceptions. Their pop culture show #StopTheBias is the second leg to their talent show property – EyeStoppers 2020. While the judges deliberate and handpick their favorites from more than 2350 entries from the talent show held last week, Shoppers Stop is keeping their audiences at the edge of their seat with Live shows with leading brands and a series of videos with reputed influencers in the likes of Sushant Divgikar, Supriya Joshi, Anmol Rodriguez, and TRRAIN. 

In the larger sense, beauty is defined in a certain manner and must follow specific norms. The idea of beauty varies from culture to culture; however, we are trying to break this stereotype and use makeup as a form of expression and creativity. Through the videos, the influencers and role models break through this clutter and stand out for who they really are with beautiful representations from different walks of life.

Sharing her thoughts, Uma Talreja, Customer Care Associate, Chief Marketing and Customer Officer at Shoppers Stop Ltd. says, “The beauty industry has seen a shift during the pandemic. Lipsticks have dominated the segment but with the wearing of masks, the focus has shifted. Indian culture has been deep rooted in the use of eye makeup and eye art, and there is plenty of cultural context that has been amplified in Bollywood and many other occasions. During the pandemic, we believe that eye makeup can open the doors to artistry and creativity in makeup and give women a feel-good factor while they wear a mask.  We have seen over 2350 entries in a week of very elaborate videos and the effort taken by each participant in creating their designs and looks is truly exciting.”

The first video titled Right To Look Fabulous features influencer and acid attack survivor, Anmol Rodriguez. Her video showcases her as the strong independent woman she has become. How she chose to be a survivor, not a victim and not let the world tell her what she can or cannot do. She used her battle scars as her strength and became a positive social media influencer with her confidence and style.

“When life throws you down, all that you can do, is pick up the pieces and keep fighting. I have been fighting for most of my life. It took a lot of failure, despair, and self-esteem boosting for me to be where I am today. In Shoppers Stop’s #StopTheBias video, I am who I am. I’m not afraid of showing myself to the world because I know that I am one of a kind”, says Anmol Rodriguez.

The next video Won’t Tone It Down brings persons with disabilities to the forefront. Shoppers Stop, in association with TRRAIN share a video of Vidhya Chettiar. The video showcases a speech & hearing-impaired lady ready to take on the world with her elegant and alluring makeup look. She further asks people to stop telling her to look basic or to be relegated to be a bystander. She has stayed quiet for far too long, but now is time she speaks up in her own way and expresses herself through the art of makeup.

Ameesha Prabhu - CEO, Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN) says, “We live in a world where no matter how you look, you will get judged. It is up to us to use that in a positive manner and conquer the world. At TRRAIN we believe in social inclusion and creating livelihoods for persons with disabilities & young women. We train our trainees to take on the world with their confidence. Vidya and many more youths like her have paved the path for not only being independent but have shown the ability of the youth and the contribution they can make to the society.”

Mr. Gay India 2014 and India’s drag icon, Sushant Divgikar, famously known as Rani KoHEnur will feature in the third video in the series with a film titled Bold is Beautiful. Tapping on normalizing makeup for men and the larger LGBTQIA+ community, Rani’s video sees him in his glamourous drag avatar getting his makeup done, putting on the wig and stepping into the world as Rani KoHEnur. He goes on to tell people that nasty slurs and comments don’t bother him anymore as this is his time to shine. He further goes on to explain that it is time people change their outlook and #StopTheBias.

Sharing his thoughts, Sushant Divgikar says, “Shoppers Stop has been very vocal about its idea of beauty. It’s refreshing to see brands talk about inclusivity and raise awareness in creative ways. I’m happy to be associated with such a brand. The idea of #StopTheBias is to simply live and let live. Let everyone express their creativity in their own unique way.”

In the final video titled Being Me Is Delightful, stand-up comic and advocate of body positivity, Supriya Joshi talks about the world’s perception of beauty and its unrealistic expectations. In her video she projects the boldest eyeshadows and the most flawless makeup telling people that she’s not interested in hiding behind the shadows, she’s right here – in the limelight. She further goes on to say that she’s most comfortable in her own skin and it doesn’t matter what naysayers have to say about that.

Talking about her video, Supriya Joshi says, “Growing up, I was an introvert with social anxiety. It took a lot for me to accept myself as who I am. Self-love is the most important thing which is why #StopTheBias was perfect for me. I have learned to love myself and grow into a more confident human being.”

Shoppers Stop’s #StopTheBias series is an attempt at promoting this positivity and creativity in each and everyone. The brand is all set to applaud the brave and people who carved a niche for themselves against all odds. In addition to this, the best brands like M.A.C Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Colorbar, Maybelline New York, MyGlamm, Lakmé, and Givenchy will host live shows on unique tutorials. Catch all the shows from October 15 – October 18 only on Shoppers Stop’s social media platforms.

If you like the winning EyeStopper looks or the looks of Malaika Arora, Sushant Divgikar, Aashna Shroff, Benafsha Soonawala, Prakriti Kakar and Sukriti Kakar from the Talent Show, you can also check out Shoppers Stop BEauty Universe to shop the trending look

Moreover, Beauty Advisors are now available on WhatsApp to service the loyal customers. In an industry first, these Beauty Advisors will offer virtual shopping assistance. Customers can consult a Beauty Advisor on a WhatsApp call and choose products from the store or catalogue. They can buy them via a safe and secure SMS link and have them delivered to their home in a quick and safe manner.