Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Shweta Shah @thegourmetrunway

1) Tell us a little about yourself. What are you doing now and where do you come from?

I was born and brought up in Sydney, Australia and my nerdy ways naturally led me to my Chartered Accounting qualifications. However, deep down I always knew that I could never be happy if fashion wasn’t in some way weaved into my career and life. This led me to move to India where I started a brief but fun career as a model. I wanted to be able to delve into the depths of what global fashion had to offer so I started my blog, Gourmet Runway in Mumbai, a city which is in a very interesting phase in its fashion journey.

2) What are your topics of interest? What do you post on Instagram the most?

Fashion has been a part of my for as long as I can remember and I was bitten by the travel bug very early in my life, so it was only natural that my Instagram feed levitate towards these topics. Along with these, the travelling and Indian influences has made me quite the food aficionado so food posts naturally make their way in my feed. But having said that, its mostly fashion related.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

I wanted a name that could be moulded to encompass any business venture that I may come up with in the future. I feel like ‘Gourmet Runway’ could easily refer to food, fashion or travel. Also, I have been associated with the runway and ‘gourmet’ exudes a luxury vibe. I am a entrepreneur deep down so I knew thats where the Instagram would take me eventually.

4) What are some apps you use to edit your photos? Share with us your photo-editing routine!

All pictures start off in Facetune, where they get whitened, sharpened and smoothened if required.
I then open them in VSVO, where I manually edit them rather than using a filter. I like my pictures looking as close to the original as possible.

5) Any Instagrammers whom you really like? Which Instagrammer inspires you the most?

There are so many but at the moment I am obsessing over the Instagram feed of @micahgianneli
She has the most amazing videos and editing on her pictures.

6) If there’s one thing your fellow Instagrammers just gotta try now, what’s it gonna be?

Videos! Its the trending thing and everyone should get in on it.

7) What’s your favorite part about being an influencer?

I think my favorite part is being able to really plan and live my day and life as I please. I can say no to work that doesn’t excite me and really focus on things that I do agree with. You can really influence the way your small community thinks and sees the world, which is a huge responsibility.

8) What are some of your top tips to brands for running campaigns? How do you maintain authenticity?

I think brands should focus on the engagement on accounts rather than the following of Instagrammers. The internet has become quite complex and everything can be an illusion. I remain authentic by doing things as I would do them rather than focussing on what I think people would want to see. I feel like people don’t know what the want to see until they see it.

9) What would your advice be on the importance of quality and original content?

I have been wanting to start Youtube channel for years but havn’t, only because I don’t have any original ideas or content that I think would resonate with people. So basically, if its done and you can’t do it better, don’t do it. It takes away from the original content and doesn’t add any value to anyones life.

10) What do you like best about partnering with brands?

Being able to combine the essence of the brand with my style and vibe is quite an adrenaline rush. I love getting creative and showcasing a brand, Gourmet Runway style. It also gives me an opportunity to really inhale and live the brand in a way that you wouldn’t otherwise.

Topics:

• Fashion
• Food & Drink
• Hair & Beauty
• Health & Fitness
• Travel

Country:

India