When Lizzo recently got emotional on Instagram live after receiving criticism on her plus-size figure instead of critique on her latest single “Rumors’’, Cardi B – featured on the same track – jumped to Lizzo’s defense, “I dunno, maybe it’s because I’m a Libra, and we protect people”. This comment really landed because when bazaar recently met and chatted with content creator Saleem Sash, plus-size influencer and proponent of body positivity, we touched on astrology and he’s a Libra, “Open minded, fair, strong sense of justice” says Google. Saleem’s influence does offer an opportunity for audiences to be exposed to a rarely appreciated aesthetic, and he stands up to be recognized on behalf of others who look like him where there has been no representation before.

It certainly is no surprise that with a name like “Sash” Saleem’s interest turned to fashion, and he tells of how at the early age of 4 or 5 he innately knew what he liked and didn’t like. “As a kid, fashion always fascinated me and I always looked at people who looked a certain way with admiration.” His apartment annex features floor to ceiling displays of beautiful items, some behind glass, and towers of sneaker boxes. If you look closely, you’ll see that the brand names run the gamut from Alexander McQueen to Giuseppe Zanotti; an A to Z of fashion collection, with more than a healthy collection of Hermès spread throughout the room. Everywhere you look, a mishmash of texture and color can be seen, the physical embodiment of Saleem’s eclectic taste, and yet it all works. Even roommate, McQueen the Corgi, bites down on two well-loved toys and a much-enjoyed dog chew all at the same time; a metaphor for Saleem’s love of life, fashion and creative projects, all the elements of which he handles himself – production, styling, videography, photography, and editing.

There is a real elegance about Saleem, he’s an empathetic and caring host and an honest interviewee. It’s a revelation to see an influencer being so transparent, and he shows so many facets to his character; a real diamond. Answering whether he’s seen a societal change in attitude since the wave of the body-positivity movement for women, alongside “Time’s Up and “Me Too”, Saleem describes that while society is becoming more accepting of the plus-size woman, men are still being shamed, and it will take a long time for this to change. Astutely, Saleem also understands that this is, justifiably, most likely because men can’t really have a “cause”, unlike women. It’s a global patriarchy we all live in, after all, and there’s not much sympathy for “the man”. Pair that with the, often mistaken, assumption that differently typed bodies show a certain laziness or gluttony, and there isn’t much sympathy to be had for the large man. Saleem’s not asking for any though, he thinks we should all stay out of each other’s business if there’s no harm being done. “People come in all shapes, sizes and colors and that’s part of life; we cannot all look the same, and acceptance to that fact is a must, it’s not a choice; you need to accept other people. It’s not up to you”. bazaar asks by paraphrasing, “Live and let live?” and Saleem signposts us to that exact answer, which he’s given to our Truth or Dare question, “What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?”

Checking the @sash_designz Instagram account you immediately see the numbers. It’s impressively well over the one hundred thousand mark. There’s not really a plus-size male influencer in this region with which to compare, but recognized and lauded western, male, plus-size influencers have significantly lower numbers. Generously – no pun intended – Saleem comments that this is because these influencers have other outlets, whereas he is only online. With a significant number of followers and high engagement, Saleem has become attractive to brands for collaboration purposes. What Saleem does insist on is legitimately enjoying whatever it is he endorses. Already the @sash_designz feed is full of looks, products and items that he himself has purchased, used, or chosen, and the one thing that this influencer refuses to compromise on when working with brands, is his integrity. This in turn means followers can trust and believe in Saleem’s posts, leading to a truly engaged audience which in turn is even more attractive to business partners. It seems like success comes from being true to oneself, and to others. But, the numbers don’t matter to Saleem, although he laughs, “You do need numbers, otherwise who are you influencing?”

With customers observing that most malls are all filled with all the same shops, where does Saleem get his outfits from, considering that plus-sized menswear options are extremely limited here. He shops online, but the oversized fashion trend also helps because what would be oversized on the average person fits him snugly and well. He also chooses quality, and prewashed cottons for example, so he knows how the garment will wash and wear. He’s a big fan of mixing and matching labels too, mostly because he says you must with limited choice available, but you must also select pieces carefully, curate your look, groom well too, and accessorize. This seems to be advice that is great for anyone, actually, at any size, man or woman.

But what we really want to know the answer to is, as Saleem represents an aesthetic and body type not typically celebrated by most social media communities – even #bodygoals influencers get called out for not being perfect enough or for feeling the pressure to over photoshop their images. “What I do is something most people are afraid of doing. If you are plus size, you are not supposed to dress a certain way, you are not supposed to be seen in certain places.” So where did Saleem first get the confidence to reject this oppression, and put himself out there in the way that he does; where did the self-acceptance come from? He says, “There hasn’t been a journey, but there has been a thought” going on to explain that when born, we inherit our looks and don’t choose them, so how can we not accept it? If we don’t like what we see, we should either come to love it, or make the changes and accept that choice to change too. There is simply no judgement from Saleem, and it all seems very plain and simple to him. If only we could all be this matter of fact, and live and let live, the world would really be a better place. “I really hope I can be a role model,” says Saleem emphatically. “If I can change just one person’s life, I would be extremely happy.”

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Loveable.
How would you describe your mother in one word?
Resilient.
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
I decided to fly to Turkey all alone on New Year’s and that was on the 29th of December 2018.
What is your theme song?
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield.
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Fashion.
Where would you like to live?
Paris, France.
What is your dream retirement location?
Paris, France.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
I’m known for my usage of quotes, especially the Arabic ones and I have an arsenal of them but the one I love the most is, “Live and let live”.
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Gazelle.
What animal best describes your personality?
Tiger.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I love my name, it is special and holds a meaning so I wouldn’t change it.
What is the toughest part of your character?
High maintenance.
Who is your fashion icon from history?
Alexander McQueen as a designer it is no secret that he inspires me a lot even in my work as a graphic designer.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it would make the world a better place?
Humility and compassion, also being able to understand the people in front of you and being able to evaluate their emotions and deal with them according to that.
Why do you think most people who do, like you?
I have huge walls built around me, by my resting witch face, but once they know me they feel like they cracked that wall and working hard to get something makes people appreciate that thing more and I’m more like that.
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…”
…a new pair of shoes.

Follow @sash_designz on Instagram and like and subscribe to his YouTube channel Sash Designs. Images courtesy of Saleem Sash.