Priya Ahluwalia Heads to Southall for 'Jalebi' Book and VR Exhibition
Looking at what it means to be a young mixed heritage person living in modern Britain.
Designer Priya Ahluwalia has returned with her second book, a follow up to 2018’s Sweet Lassi, as part of the virtual London Fashion Week. Titled Jalebi, the new book is a work of photography by Laurence Ellis which look at various themes throughout Ahluwalia’s work and what it means to be a young mixed heritage person living in modern Britain.
A key focus for the book is Southall, which was Britain’s first Punjabi community and somewhere that Ahluwalia regularly visited growing up. The various images showcase the everyday lives of people who live in the area.
Family is another frequent theme of Ahluwalia’s work which is referenced in Jalebi. Throughout the book, old family photographs feature alongside extracts from a conversation between Ahluwalia and her grandmother about the family’s experience between India and Britain.
The book itself is available alongside a series of prints from the Ahluwalia web store. Additionally, the London-based designer has partnered with Chameleon Visual to create a 3D and VR exhibition. All profits from Jalebi and the print sales will be donated to the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and Southall Black Sisters.
For more from this season’s virtual London Fashion Week, take a look at Bianca Saunders’ new zine.
