“In my culture and heritage, music plays a significant part in any occasion, observance, celebration, religious ceremony, wedding or memorial service and sets the tone for the event. Indian music has evolved from a heritage that dates back to sacred Vedic scriptures over 6,000 years ago where chants developed a system of music notes and rhythmic cycles,” said designer and CFDA member Bibhu Mohapatra. “Growing up music was always present in my life. My parents loved music as did my siblings. We had our playlists—way before digital music streaming came up—which were notebooks or diaries with hand written lyrics of our favorite songs.”

Listen to the designer’s soundscapes in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and head to CFDA’s Spotify for more.