Waris Ahluwalia is living many splendid lives: acting, journalism, modelling, jewellery, antiques, tea rooms, and even remaking shot-for-shot the opening of American Gigolo. You probably recognise him from films by Wes Anderson, Spike Lee and Luca Guadagnino. If not, then perhaps in an advertising campaign or through his jewellery company, House of Waris. Sometimes, he even pops up on the news: last year, a media storm erupted when he was held up on a flight simply for wearing a turban.

As one of the few visually prominent and vocal Sikhs in film and fashion, Ahluwalia is a unique, integral cultural figure. Not least because he wears each role with a swagger. In The Life Aquatic, he’s the cinematographer of Steve Zissou’s crew; modelling for Gap, his image went viral and instilled some much-needed diversity. The polymath’s latest venture is as the face of a new menswear collection by The Kooples for SS17. The French designers, he recalls, shared an interest in his world-travelling lifestyle and picked him as their muse.

“I’m fortunate – or unfortunate – to have friends in all corners of this globe,” Ahluwalia admits. Growing up in India until the age of five, he moved to New York, where he still resides, but a quick scroll through his Instagram reveals someone always on the move. “I have a carpenter in Old Delhi. I’ve met with goldsmiths in Rome, marble makers in Jaipur, leather makers in Sweden. I’m guided by adventures.”

Here, Ahluwalia discusses how to fight Donald Trump with love, why Bill Murray is a great craftsman, and his role as a Sikh fronting a major fashion brand.

A year ago, when you were banned from a plane due to your turban, you said, “The only way to combat that is with love, is with tolerance, is with understanding and is with education.” Is that still true with Trump in power?

Waris Ahluwalia: Absolutely. That’s still completely relevant, but you need more. The game has changed. Love and education is the long-term plan. In the short-term, you have to protest and make it clear we won’t stand for certain policies – both things have to be applied, you can’t just be reactionary. Protesting is wonderful and necessary, but protests are reactionary. With the ban, there was a protest for an immediate response. But that’s for now.

Education and love are long-term solutions. It’s about being internal and everyone taking responsibility for their actions. It’s so easy to point fingers – Trump’s created a lot of damage, of course, but it’s not just about him; that sentiment exists in the UK with Brexit, and it exists in France, and it exists in India with the religious right. It exists everywhere. Whatever’s happening in politics is in direct relation to us. It’s a manifestation of our insecurities and fears.

It feels apt Wes Anderson first met you at a peace rally. With The Life Aquatic, did he just want you as a presence on his set? Or did he detect the actor inside you?

Waris Ahluwalia: I knew him for a few more months before he asked me. It wasn’t ‘Will you audition for this?’ or ‘Do you think you can do it?’ He just said, ‘Come to Italy and be in this film.’ That was my first film. If he felt comfortable enough to ask me, who am I to question my ability to do it? If he’s not questioning me, I’m sure as hell not going to question myself.