Abhi Sunsunwal: Timelessness Lets You Be Who You’ve Always Been [Model, Content Creator, 72.6k Followers, Canada]

Abhi Sunsunwal Interview

 “I had to unlearn the idea that I needed to have everything figured out before I started.”

Abhi Sunsunwal is a Delhi/Toronto-based model and content creator who has built a distinctive identity around vintage storytelling, timeless style, and disciplined living. He believes the biggest transformation doesn't come from having life figured out—it comes from taking the first step, proving that authenticity outlasts every trend.

Q. For people discovering you for the first time how would you describe what you do, and what drew you to build your whole identity around "vintage" instead of chasing what's trending right now?

I’m a man born in the wrong decade, making it work in this one. A lifelong experimenter, I went from being a finance bro to spending the past few months exploring the worlds of modeling and content creation.

Vintage was never a branding decision. It was recognition. I’ve always felt more at home with timeless things than trendy ones. A well-cut shirt, a moustache, great cinema, and discipline in the gym looked good fifty years ago, and they’ll look good fifty years from now. Trends tell you who to be. Timelessness lets you be who you’ve always been. I didn’t build an identity around vintage. I finally found the one that already felt like mine.

Q. You actually studied tourism and travel management before any of this, so what pulled you toward that field in the first place, and in retrospect, how do you think it shaped who you are today?

I’ve always wanted to travel the world. What motivates me has never really been money, power, or fame. It's the opportunity to experience this incredible world we've built over thousands of years. I want to see different countries, immerse myself in new cultures, meet people from completely different walks of life, and constantly learn something new.

That passion is what led me to study Tourism and Travel Management. Right after graduating, I joined Kensington Tours, which became my first corporate experience and a place I'll always be grateful for. Working there completely changed the way I looked at travel. Everyone around me was exploring the world, sharing incredible stories, and planning unforgettable journeys for others. Seeing millions of dollars' worth of travel bookings every day made the world feel more accessible, and it inspired me to stop dreaming about travel and actually do it. During my time there, I took three international trips of my own.

Looking back, that chapter shaped me in a big way. It taught me that travel is one of the best forms of education. Every country gives you a new perspective, every culture teaches humility, and every conversation reminds you how much there is still to learn. That curiosity has stayed with me ever since and continues to influence how I see the world today.

Q. For a while you were doing both, clocking into a 9-to-5 and trying to realize this version on the side. What did that actually look like day to day, and how did you find the energy to show up for both?

It was exhausting at times trying to balance both, but I needed somewhere to channel my creative itch after spending eight hours at my desk every day. I've never been the most verbally expressive person, so creating content became my way of expressing thoughts and emotions that I couldn't always put into conversations.

Ironically, a lot of the ideas for my recent short films and edits were actually written down during my work hours whenever inspiration struck. I'd quickly make a note and come back to it later. Looking back, I don't think I was running two separate lives. One gave me stability, and the other gave me purpose, and for a while, I needed both.

I still get nervous, no matter how big or small the shoot is. I don't think that feeling ever completely goes away. But the moment I step onto a set and see everyone doing their part, the designers and stylists, the camera crew, makeup artists, the people steaming and ironing outfits, the spot team, producers, show directors, and backstage managers, all working together to bring one vision to life, the nerves disappear.

It reminds me of the idea of having a cosmic perspective. Just like people say we're only a tiny speck in an unimaginably vast universe, I realize I'm just one small part of something much bigger than myself. The shoot isn't about me; it's about everyone collectively creating something meaningful.

That shift in perspective takes the pressure off. Instead of thinking about how I look or perform, I focus on doing my job as diligently as everyone else is doing theirs. When dozens of people bring their best to one project, all you want to do is make sure your contribution lives up to theirs.

Q. Social media basically rewards the opposite of everything vintage culture stood for — patience, restraint, subtlety. How do you personally make peace with using the very platforms that reward the opposite?

It definitely does, and I think that's one of the reasons I'm not where I could be numerically. But I'm okay with that. Over time, I've built a quality audience and, more importantly, connected with some incredible like-minded people who genuinely get it.

At the same time, I understand how these platforms work. From what I've observed, some of the content I'm most proud of, the pieces with the most thought behind them, often don't perform as well as the content that's made to appeal to the masses. That's just the nature of social media.

So I've found a balance. Some content is for the numbers, and some is purely for the passion. As long as I never lose the second, I'm happy.

Q. What's one piece of inner work something you had to unlearn or work on internally that changed you more than any external change ever did?

I had to unlearn the idea that I needed to have everything figured out before I started. I used to overthink every decision, wondering whether it was the right move. Eventually I realized that clarity doesn't come before action, it comes because of action.

Most of the growth in my life didn't happen because I had the perfect plan. It happened because I took a step, learned from it, and kept moving. That mindset changed me far more than any physical transformation ever did.

Q. Everyone assumes the body and the style go hand in hand for you of course it's an integral part, but if you had to pick just one to define you, which is it really?

Body, because it's a creation of God. Style is a creation of humans. I'm okay with disappointing some humans, but I can't disappoint God by not making the best of what He gave me.

Plus, a fit person can look good in bad clothes, but an unfit person won't look good even if they're wearing the fanciest clothes.

Bio:

Abhi Sunsunwal is a Delhi/Toronto-based model and content creator known for his vintage-inspired storytelling and cinematic aesthetic. After transitioning from finance into modeling and digital content, he built a distinct personal brand rooted in timeless fashion, classic cinema, and wellness.

Through his work, he aims to inspire people to embrace authenticity over trends, cultivate discipline, and create a life driven by purpose rather than validation.



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Interviewed By: Sara Vatsal