Pinky Peya: Promoting affordable fashion and effortless beauty

Fashion need not always be expensive. It doesn't have to be extravagant or ostentatious either. 

Although the bright photos we find in magazines and billboards have the capacity to awaken the inner shopaholic inside of us, a luxury brand being modelled by your favourite star is not always affordable to everyone. 

Fashion is not just a commodity, it has deeper roots. 

While wearing pricey clothing may boost someone's self-esteem, it's important to remember that fashion isn't about the money spent, but rather how well one can match and present themselves. In fact, numerous benefits accompany the purchase of affordable and beautiful dresses that can still render a person fashionable and stylish.

Believing in that notion, in 2013, Pinky Peya, one of the first established 'influencers' of today, started her journey of promoting low-budget fashion that elevates one's personality.

"I always tend to buy clothes that are reasonable and something that I can wear on a daily basis, and at the same time I can also elevate the look by adding a few pieces to that. Cheap shopping places like Dhaka New Market, Noorjahan Market or other non-branded retailer shops have been my jam forever," she said.

"When I used to post pictures sharing outfit deets mentioning these places, my audience appreciated it more than I expected. They tend to recreate these looks better than the looks I had created, wearing apparel of high-end brands."

"People loved seeing my lifestyle, how I dress up, places I go, and thoughts I share. I started getting a substantial number of followers since then. In 2015, I got my first brand collaboration offer," she said.

Understand your community and the brands you work with

According to Pinky, influencers must understand and add value to their community to shine in social influencing. Understanding the brand and believing in the products they endorse are equally essential.

"I never endorsed a product for money that I would not use myself. Product endorsements are very lucrative to influencers as they come with monetary and other benefits, but this is where you set your work ethic. Being true to your audience goes a long way," she opined.

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Although the possibilities of brand collaboration seem endless in this industry, Pinky is cautious about the altered scene, as brands tend to look for new faces continuously.

"Brand gigs are inconsistent. You can get plenty in some months; in others, you get none. If 'influencing' is someone's full-time job, it is important that he/she possess a good understanding of financial management. Over the years, one should establish their profile as their own brand," she said.

Pinky also believes while someone is at his/her peak, they should concentrate on some side hustles that generate a stable income.

Apart from being an influencer, Pinky is a fashiontrepreneur and a makeup artist. With her husband, she owns Bangladesh's first fashion e-commerce named "Fashion HQ". 

Pinky shares that her Instagram community, consisting of more than 62,000 followers, gave her a kickstart in her side hustles.

Fashion HQ is a fast-growing e-commerce designed to support homegrown and leading local brands and designer wear, ensuring trend-focused edits for the youth. 

Fashion and beauty go hand in hand

Being a makeup artist has been Pinky's dream since a very early age. In fact, while she was doing her Bachelor's at North South University, many a time she felt like quitting and studying at a makeup school/ academy.

"Being an influencer gives me leverage in other careers. We have a plethora of makeup artists in this industry and I am very new to it. But I got a good clientele from my follower base," she said.

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Last year, when she was finally done with her studies, she took the leap and enrolled herself at Estasbella Makeup Studio in Indore, India and got certified by Surya Singh, a renowned makeup artist and trainer.

"The reason I opted for learning makeup from India is because Indian skin tone is similar to ours. From basic to professional level, I learnt many new makeup techniques from that course. I even worked with brides over there. It was a proper course, and it really helped me start my own business when I came back to Bangladesh," she said.

Pinky's makeup mantra is to enhance natural features skillfully, instead of layering too much. She is highly inspired by the western 'no makeup makeup' look, also known as 'effortless beauty'. 

Pinky looks up to international social media influencers and makeup artists like Carli Bybel, Jcklyn Hill, Makeup by Mario and many more.

However, having a multidimensional professional life and managing all the responsibilities are challenging. It gets overwhelming at times. But Pinky feels that the money she gets to earn, and the appreciation she receives from her esteemed clientele and mass followers, make the whole thing worth it.