The Sims team has released the official blog for The Sims 4 Fashion Street Kit!
The Sims Takes on Mumbai, India in Style with Shruti Sitara Singh
Welcome to Fashion Street! Located in the city-center of Mumbai, India, Fashion Street has long been the premier shopping destination in this coastal metropolis, with over 150 vendors selling various wares, from vintage garb, to homemade garments, to designer threads. And it’s not just a hub for all things clothing, it’s also a cultural epicenter where one can enjoy food, music, architecture, the occasional Bollywood celebrity sighting, and the company of friends, family and significant others — we hear it’s quite the place to take a date. For the latest kit offering, The Sims™ is taking players to this beautiful corner of the world, and unlocking the distinct style one would encounter there. To do so, The Sims has collaborated with its friend and fashion expert Shruti Sitara Singh to co-create a comprehensive and authentic wardrobe of vibrant color, high-contrast patterns, iconic silhouettes and trendy statement pieces that can be integrated into a Sim’s closet.
Born, raised and currently based in Mumbai, Shruti Sitara Singh is an art-meets-fashion curator, creating immersive narratives that intersect art, music, theater, design and culture. She has worked with the Fashion Design Council of India as a curator and manager, led the launch of India’s first-ever digital fashion week, and served as a creative director for Lakmé Fashion Week. Her expertise is undeniable, but it’s her history with Mumbai’s fashion scene, and Fashion Street specifically, that made her the perfect partner for this kit.
“My first shopping experience was when I was in fourth grade,” reminisces Singh. “My mother had taken my sister and I to Fashion Street, and we were like ‘what is going on? There’s something known as shopping?’ That concept didn’t exist to me before that.”
Singh has been visiting Fashion Street ever since. Even though she now rubs shoulders and collaborates with India’s fashion elite, she still enjoys the thrill of the bargain. “I love bargaining. That’s what makes Fashion Street, Fashion Street. It’s a heaven for shopaholics, and it’s a mind-boggling experience. Fashion Street is an experience of its own.”
To be fair to Singh and Mumbai, The Sims 4 Fashion Street Kit is directly inspired by the city’s fashion scene, however one can’t talk Mumbai style without mentioning its vendor-lined walkway. Mumbai itself is often referred to as “The City of Dreams” because it offers a plethora of job opportunities for people all over India and its neighboring countries. As a result, these different cultures and ethnicities converge on Fashion Street.
“The Fashion Street Kit is inspired by a lot of India, and of course Mumbai,” explains Singh. “It’s inspired by the Indian handloom (weaving) industry, which is preserving and rendering a beautiful picture of our age old heritage, known worldwide for its richness and purity of its textiles. Each piece is adorned with lively colors and prints specific to different cultures, because Mumbai, the City of Dreams, is a melting pot.”
The Sims 4 Fashion Street Kit is made up of a bevy of items for all Sims, from nose rings, henna tattoos, and sandals, to flowy wrap skirts and asymmetrical vests, two of Singh’s favorite pieces.
“Since our team could not visit Mumbai, we worked virtually with Shruti to deliver designs that are relevant to the latest trends on the streets of Mumbai while incorporating traditional themes throughout the kit,” shares Sophia Lee, Senior Concept Artist for The Sims. “I am personally excited to see the full-body evening gown which brings in-game tasteful modern design elements to a traditional saree.”
The wrap skirt is directly inspired by the women of the Koli fishing community in Mumbai, who have inhabited and worked Mumbai’s coastal waters for hundreds of years. “Fisherwomen usually wear a sari,” explains Singh. “Saris are draped differently with every community and culture; in every state you go, there is a different way it is draped.” The Fashion Street Kit’s wrap skirt is influenced by how the Koli women wear their saris. “It’s easy breezy, it’s more like a skirt because they have to walk a lot and go into the ocean to fish, that’s why it’s above the knee and tucked in, so it doesn’t go into the water. It’s a beautiful silhouette.”
“With kits, The Sims is creating an immersive experience where people, places and experiences can be discovered, and our players from around the world can experiment with these distinctly unique mini collections of curated content,” shares Sheila Judkins, Director of Global Brand Management, The Sims. And, Singh offers her vision for players experimenting with The Sims 4 Fashion Street Kit, “I would like players to experience Mumbai, to understand the culture, to understand the clothing, and how comfortable, region-specific and vibrant the prints are; and how colourful the culture is. I want the players to know more about Mumbai, and experience it through their own versions of how they play [with the kit].”
The Sims™ 4 Fashion Street Kit is available beginning October 5, 2021 on PC and Mac via Origin™ and Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.
