In Swimwear 31 Jul 2022... - Kenisha Awasthi Mermaid

Within hours of posting on July 31, 2022, the hashtag #KenishaMermaid began trending. Fans flooded the comments with fire and heart emojis, praising her for "bringing fairytales to life."

Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage released later that week revealed the effort involved in the shoot. Stylist Rhea Menon explained that the team spent three weeks sourcing the specialty fabric to ensure the "scale effect" looked organic rather than costumey. Kenisha Awasthi Mermaid in Swimwear 31 Jul 2022...

However, as with any viral moment, the post also drew minor criticism regarding the practicality of wearing such an elaborate outfit in the water. Awasthi clapped back with a witty Instagram story, noting, "Real mermaids don't worry about getting wet—they worry about looking this good doing it." Within hours of posting on July 31, 2022,

The concept was simple yet breathtaking. Awasthi traded traditional beach cover-ups for a high-fashion swimwear ensemble that mimicked the iridescent scales of a mythical mermaid. Photographed against a backdrop of shimmering water and golden-hour sunlight, the imagery gave the illusion that she had just emerged from the sea. However, as with any viral moment, the post

"We wanted her to look like she belonged to the ocean, not a theme park," Menon said. Photographer Aarav Singh added that the shoot took place at a private cove at 6:00 AM to capture the "magic hour" light reflecting off the water.