Pritika Swarup: Unleashing woman energy

Muse: Pritika Swarup. Photopgrapher: Tom Marvel. Blazer and skirt, Alexander McQueen. Earrings, Erickson Beamon from Showroom Seven Saint Laurent. Shoes, Saint Laurent.

The supercharged creative economy, born from global digitization, has given rise to a new wave of impressive multi-hyphenates. Historically, the term described entertainers who excelled at acting, singing, and dancing—icons like Beyoncé, Liza Minnelli, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Ginger Rogers, and more recently, Teyana Taylor. They are a rare breed..

Today, multi-hyphenates extend beyond entertainment, encompassing creatives who excel across disciplines and shape culture. Pritika Swarup is one such force. An Ivy League Financial Economics Graduate, renowned International Model, Global Ambassador for Operation Smile, and Founder & CEO of Prakti, she leads a beauty brand anchored in diversity, inclusivity, and holistic wellness.

Dress, Grace Ling. Earrings, Pluma. Shoes, Saint Laurent.

Swarup has quickly emerged as an impactful one-to-watch. Pritika received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard University in November 2023, the Global Innovator Award from FounderMade in May 2024, and most recently, Operation Smile’s Changemaker Award which recognizes her dedication to improving the lives of others and exceptional leadership.

Her modeling career includes campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie & Fitch, Escada, Prabal Gurung, Estée Launder, Athleta, Fenty Beauty, and she has walked for some of the most prestigious fashion houses including Dolce & Gabbana. And what better, time-honored marker of present and future achievement in Hollywood than for one of the Big 5 Hollywood agencies to come calling. This fall, CAA signed the 29-year-old CEO to representation for fashion, digital media, scripted television, talent business ventures, speakers, and philanthropy.

Pritika Swarup founded her company Prakti Beauty in 2022 with the idea that beauty should be intertwined with inner wellness. When you think about it, inner beauty’s impact on outer beauty sounds like common sense, but it’s not a position the beauty industry traditionally promoted.

Dress, Balenciaga. Earrings, Alexis Bittar. Vintage boots.

“I grew up with a holistic approach to beauty and wellness,” said Swarup. “In the fashion industry, that’s not really what you think of when you think of beauty. It’s very focused on the physical aspect.”

Swarup, who was born in America to Indian parents, was 17, on a family trip to Disney World, when she was spotted by a model agent. She moved from her home in Virginia to complete her final year of High School at the Professional Children’s School in New York, where many a child star, from Vera Wang to Leslie Uggams and the Culkin brothers attended.

Moving north allowed her to continue to pursue modeling. “It was hard juggling working and going to school,” she said. And fitting into the prevailing beauty-standard straight jacket that favored Eurocentric beauty, was trying. But she soldered on.

Shirt and pants, Alaia. Necklace, Doves by Doron Paloma. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.

Growing up (with one older brother), she noticed her father’s industriousness and she learned to overcome the naysayers. “He showed me that you can have talent, you can have passion but if you don’t work hard nothing will progress. He pushed us very hard to be the best that we can be.”

When Swarup entered Columbia University as a financial economics major, the expectation of her traditional immigrant family – of whom at least three are medical doctors including her Dad – was that she would go into finance. And she did, for a while. In school, she started an investment group and upon graduation went into investment banking for a year. The move proved serendipitous.

She melded her long-held interest in beauty with what she had recently learned about business and started Prakti.“I was working with a lot of founders on the direct investments team, and I thought, ‘I can do that.’” she said.

She’d been learning about beauty rituals from the time she was at her mother’s knee, absorbing lessons from India’s traditional wellness system (Ayurveda). “I’m grateful to have a Mom who’s so balanced, so nurturing. She’s very spiritual, and the way she sees people – She sees the best in people.” She’s grateful for her parents’ attitude and speaks with them every day by phone.

Blazer and skirt, Alexander McQueen. Earrings, Erickson Beamon from Showroom Seven Saint Laurent. Shoes, Saint Laurent.

Her first Prakti product was PritiPolish, an award-winning, dual-powered, rice-based facial exfoliator. She’s since added several other skincare products, even launching into a new hybrid skincare/makeup category – KhushiKiss nourishing lip oils. Swarup says she designs each product to provide a multi-sensory experience including a mood-boosting aroma.

It’s not often that you go to a beauty brand’s website and find a Dosha questionnaire and a breathing technique exercise alongside skincare creams. The trademarked Ayurveda for All tagline is meant to convey that this is a different kind of beauty brand; with exhortation to take care of one’s self from a nature-based approach. “It’s about finding the individual balance so you can achieve optimal health and wellbeing,” said Swarup.

“Eastern and Western beauty ideals are very different,” she explained. “In India, it’s more about the balance of the mind, body and consciousness. Everything is so interconnected and holistic.

The name Prakti comes from a mashup of the founder’s name and the Hindi word Shakti which represents female goddess power. Prakti celebrates women’s strength, independence, and individuality.

Recently, the line was picked up by Goop and Credo, the clean beauty retailer.

Swarup lives between Miami, LA and New York where her company is based. She travels frequently for business and her volunteer work with Operation Smile. (Her relationship with the medical non-profit dates back to her teen years when she first began volunteering with the Virginia-based organization.

Trench, Tom Ford. Earrings, Doves by Doron Paloma. Shoes, Aera.

Her vision for her brand is wide ranging – expanded product lines incorporating clean, conscious skincare do not exclude even additions like supplements. But she’s fixed on a quest beyond merchandise.

“I want to inspire women to fearlessly pursue all of their passions,” said Swarup.

“When I started Prakti, I was told I wouldn’t be taken seriously as a founder and as a businesswoman if I continued to model. I considered stopping completely because I wanted to put this brand first. And then I realized that (modeling career) was one of my greatest strengths. I have amazing relationships in the industry. I’ve learned so much through working with these amazing beauty companies, I am able to see a beauty brand from both sides – representing brands and seeing how other brands are marketing their products while building my own.”

Pritika Swarup answers her own dosha quiz question: When do you feel most fearless?

“I feel most fearless when I’m confident, when I’m happy, when I’m surrounded by loved ones, when I’m doing something I’m passionate about. Falling down and getting up and finding that within you (helps you feel fearless). I like that. The harder you fall, the faster you get up.”

Trench, Tom Ford. Earrings, Doves by Doron Paloma. Shoes, Aera.

Pritika on how she defines success

“I don’t have the typical milestones for success,” she said.

In the long term, she imagines the following: How are we affecting real change? How are we making our community better? How are we helping (our community) realize their goals? You have to ask yourself: Are you happy doing what you’re doing? Have I left things better than they were before in this world?

There’s pressure on you as a young entrepreneur,” Swarup says in deep reflection. “But I feel like I’m just getting started.”

Full look, Jason Wu Collection.

Talent: Pritika Swarup @pritikaswarup C/o Claire@ClaireMercuri.com.
Producer/Photographer: Tom Marvel @tommarvelphotography.
Creative Director: Cannon @thecannonmediagroup at Ray Brown @raybrownpro.
Article by: Constance C. R. White @officialcwhite.
Lighting Director: Pierre Bonnet @pierrebonnet.
Director of Video: James Webber @james_weber.
Hair: Linh Nguyen @linhhair at SEE Management @seemanagement.
Makeup: Charlie Riddle @charlieriddle at The Wall Group @thewallgroup, using Prakti @praktibeauty.
Digital Tech: Olivia Wohlers @wohliviaa.
Photographer Assistants: Ryan Liu @justryaliu Michele Swain @michelewilhelminaphotography.
Grip: George Pepe @gspepe.
Digital Artist: Marilynn Hawkridge www.retouchingbymarilynn.com.
Fashion Team: Winnie Noan @winnie_noan | David Goldberg @indigoboydavid | Maksim Mizgirev @lu3alo | Sydney @sydneyloera

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