Chicago (WBBM Newsradio) – In the lead up to the Hindu holiday Diwali next weekend, a dozen South Asian vendors came together for a fashion pop-up on Sunday.
The Chicago Diwali Pop-Up at the Epiphany Center for the Arts was the result of a collaboration between the fashion brand NYRAA and the Chicago Fashion Coalition (CFC). The other vendors featured included fashion brands, houseware, jewelry and food with Indian spices.
Nisha Saboo, the founder of NYRRA, said the tight-knit community helped bring the event together.
“Everyone has been so excited to be a part of an event that is not only celebrating one of the largest Diwalis in kind of the Indian history but also just one in Chicago itself,” she said.
While Saboo said the community is a tight-knit one, events like this for Diwali typically don’t take place in the city but rather in the suburbs she said.
The pop-up event also provided more than shopping. It was interactive with a henna station, DJ and a 360-degree photo booth.
“It's very important for us to have an immersive experience where you're not just coming to a marketplace to shop and then leave,” said Marquan Jones, the president of CFC.
This event was the first collaboration between NYRAA and CFC, but both Jones and Saboo said they plan on working together for more events in the future.
CFC is an all-volunteer-led organization so donations for CFC were being collected at the event. CFC started three years ago, but Jones said they are really just getting started after beginning in a pandemic.
The Diwali Pop-Up was held from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Sunday, but for more events from CFC, check out their website.