On Representation and Reality with Shaminder Singh Biring

Seen first, understood later

Shaminder Singh Biring may be familiar to fashion audiences from the Hermès runway or luxury campaigns where his turban and calm presence stand out.

He is not just a model but a statement that visibility and identity are inseparable. His work suggests that breaking molds often begins with simply being seen.

A way out and a way in

Shaminder did not begin modeling to make a statement. He began to survive. He recalls a period when depression and alcohol had him in their grip. “I started modeling as a distraction. At first, it wasn’t about confidence or how I saw myself. It was just about having somewhere to put my energy.”

Being photographed slowly changed his relationship with himself. He became more aware of his body and movement and started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. “It didn’t fix everything, but it helped me build a kind of confidence I didn’t have before.”

Carrying identity in an unfamiliar space

Entering the fashion industry as a Punjabi man came with challenges. Male models of South Asian descent remain rare at the global level. He often felt invisible or out of place.

“It could feel isolating carrying an identity people didn’t really know how to place,” he says. Over time, what once felt like a limitation became his strength.

That strength was on full display when he became the first Sardar to walk for Hermès. “For me, that moment was bigger than fashion. It felt surreal,” he says. Wearing his turban without compromise, he stepped into a space where he had never seen someone like him before.

Messages poured in from Sikhs worldwide, many expressing disbelief that someone who looked like them could appear on a runway.

Beyond tokenism

Shaminder’s identity has shaped how casting directors and brands approach him. Early in his career, some seemed unsure how to work with him. At other times, those same markers became a reason to cast him.

“Some brands and creatives approached me because they wanted to tell more meaningful stories. When that happens, it feels powerful because I know I am not there as a token. I am there because of who I am.”

The Sardar model says representation in modeling goes beyond appearances. It means being seen as a full human being with individuality and depth, and being cast, styled, and treated with the same range as anyone else.

Discipline and sobriety

Sobriety has also shaped his career. Shaminder shares that being sober has made him more disciplined and accountable.

His experience with depression informs how he connects to emotion on camera. He allows himself to feel fully and honestly, drawing on pain and uncertainty. “I am simply sharing what I have lived, and I think that kind of honesty is what allows people to feel something real when they look at my work.”

Being seen

Shaminder’s visibility has inspired others. Young Sikhs and South Asians tell him they finally feel seen, and some say his work gave them the courage to embrace their identity. He has also received threats, which he views as part of the visibility he carries.

“If my presence can bring out that much emotion, then it means I am standing for something bigger than myself,” he says.

“I want to show us as emotional, tender, strong, and soft at the same time. If someone can look at my work and feel a little more seen, a little more understood, then I know I am doing something right.”

As seen in the pages of VMAN SEA 05: now available for purchase!

Photography and creative direction Soumitri Vadali

Fashion Wendy Woffington

Grooming Arpita

Fashion assistants Jared Letwat and Claire Smith

Retouching Ritam Mondal

Production assistant Alan Guallpa

Special thanks Flying Solo