How did Committee Members come together?

HARMAN SINGH: Committee Members is an exploration of identity and culture, [by people] born and raised in the west with roots in South Asia. Clothing and apparel is our form of expression to tell this story. We're a small operation, and do everything in-house. The brand is operated by three people, but the collective that's involved is much larger so we design and create clothes that people around us would wear. We're lucky to have artists, musicians, community organizers, and entertainers as friends.

How would you describe your upbringing?

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Growing up first generation Canadian was hard, but no different than any it is for any kid growing up in an immigrant family household. We spoke two languages, participated in two cultures, and had to navigate that to find an identity. It’s tough not having a sense of belonging growing up, but now I can say that it pushed me creatively to want to find answers and share them.

What inspires your designs?

Our focus isn’t on design as much as it is about revisiting cultures that we might have misunderstood growing up. So you'll see references to the '90s, the intersection of reggae and hip-hop with bhangra, and the immigrant struggle in the west, [so think] Apache Indian, factory working mothers, and political unrest. It’s less about the idea of a homeland, and more about people. It’s the story of hardworking immigrants whose only goal was to survive and create better lives for their families. I want to tell their stories.