Sobia Ameen: The new, unapologetically honest face of Masaba

Sobia Ameen is a baker, model and above all, a social media influencer. 

In an interview with The Business Standard, Sobia talked about her background, her journey towards becoming one of the most well-known faces in social media, as well as her shoot with Indian fashion designer Masaba Gupta. 

Recently, she also became a part of Kay by Katrina, a makeup brand launched by Katrina Kaif. Sobia was seen on a video with a powerful message about inclusivity and body positivity on the brand's Instagram account.

The beginning

Sobia was born and raised in Dhaka. As a child, sometimes she was outspoken, and sometimes she was introverted and shy. 

Although she studied architecture in Sydney after graduating from International School Dhaka, she ended up making a career out of her passion for baking and modelling. How did this switch take place? 

In response, Sobia said, "When I started, I really did not think it was going to be so big. I started posting on Instagram about my daily life when I had very little following. So I felt safer putting myself out there. And my followers have been kind to me and I love them."

Sobia said that she did not understand what being an influencer meant for a long time. She used to be active on Snapchat in Australia but realised Instagram was very trendy after moving back to Bangladesh. 

Photo: Mushda Ali

"I just used to post about my daily life and be myself. And that is how it actually started," Sobia said.

She added, "I am very new to modeling but I was always persistent about my work. I take my work very seriously. That is why I got the recognition as quickly as I did. I think if you work diligently and honestly, there is not a reason for you to fail." 

The Masaba and bilateral experience

"I guess Masaba noticed me on Instagram for the lehenga I wore on my sister's holud. Her manager contacted me after two weeks. They had called me to talk about the photoshoot," Sobia detailed on how she became a model for Masaba.

She added, "I was given a lot of freedom for the shoot. I was allowed to play with it. A lot of it is my personality. They allowed me to be myself and do whatever I feel like. So it was really nice working with her."

Putting things into perspective, Sobia said that she idolised black women growing up because they are the closest that looked like her. 

"I grew up looking up to people like Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Ella Fitzgerald. They are all from different fields and when I was exposed to Bollywood, it was interesting for me. I always found Masaba to be so cool. I looked up to her and now it is amazing that I am working with her. I think the internet is incredible for the places it can take you," she told the correspondent. 

Although Sobia has received an incredible response from India, she is not quite sure about Bangladesh. 

"To be honest, now that I deal with a lot of Indian brands I do feel we have a long way to go. I feel that they are so organised. They know exactly what they want. They know if they want me or do not want me. In Bangladesh, I feel like I still have to prove myself and it is a bit of a struggle for me," she opined.

We asked Sobia how working with different Bangladeshi brands has been. Were they inclusive? 

"I have been very lucky. If not always, I have been given a lot of freedom in most cases. I am allowed to be myself. I am so glad that I am accepted for who I am. I am very strong about what I believe in and my ground," responded Sobia.

However, she feels that Bangladeshi brands tokenise her a lot and this is not something she enjoys. 

"I do not like brands that promote inclusivity and only design clothes for me and not for other sizes like me. That is a big problem and we have to learn. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of tokenism going around. And this has to stop," she added.

According to Sobia, there is a lack of understanding about who Bangladeshi fashion houses want to hire. 

Upon asking her what changes she would like to see in Bangladeshi fashion brands, Sobia said, "I think people should genuinely respect people for who they are and they should not be doing it because of the trend. They should be doing it if their brand truly believes in it and not just to get more likes or sensations."

Photo: Mushda Ali

When it comes to beauty and inclusivity, Bangladesh still has a long way to go. What is Sobia's perspective on this?

"Do not just say something because it is a trend if you do not actually believe it. And people in this industry do not actually believe a lot of things. Actions prove that we are still the same because there are still brightening products and the first thing people ask you to do is lose weight when they see you. The ideals of eurocentric beauty still exist in our society and that has to be changed," she answered.

Sobia has always been unapologetically herself, which has inspired many of her followers to always be their true selves. We asked her how, as a social media influencer, she plans on inspiring others, especially young women like herself.

She answered, "I do not think I ever did it to influence anyone but I have always been honest about who I am. I always have been myself rather than trying to be like someone else. And I think that somehow this attribute has inspired many people."

Sobia has many projects planned ahead, which is both exciting and overwhelming for her. 

"Everything is happening very quickly. I just got a call today from a big brand and I am very excited about it," she concluded.