Over 500 students and local influencers attended the inaugural event, transforming the college campus into a hub of activity. Participants immersed themselves in live beauty masterclasses, skincare workshops tailored to local conditions, creator auditions, and hands-on experiences with Oriflame’s premium beauty and wellness products, all delivered via the brand’s dedicated Beauty and Wellness Partner Truck.
Organisers describe the 13-city Yatra as India’s largest regional influencer campaign focused on the Northeast. After Shillong, it will visit Agartala, Aizawl, Dimapur, Kohima, Guwahati, Nagaon, Dibrugarh, Itanagar, Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Durgapur, before wrapping up with the WhosNext Regional Influencer Awards in Kolkata on May 10, 2026.
The campaign’s centrepiece is #WhosthatNEStar, an open talent platform designed to discover and promote singers, dancers, comedians, spoken-word artists, and content creators. Top performers from each city will advance, with select winners gaining a platform at the Kolkata finale attended by over 200 digital creators, brand partners, and media professionals.
Sanjay Kumar, Vice President – Marketing, Operations, Product & Partnerships at Oriflame, explained the strategic focus on the region.
“The Northeast has always been a treasure trove of stories, talent, and culture — one that the rest of India is only now beginning to truly discover,” Kumar said. “Through the Northeast Yatra, we are not just travelling across the region; we are creating a platform where authentic voices gain meaningful visibility, leading to real opportunities. Oriflame’s shared belief in empowerment makes this partnership both natural and impactful.”
Abhishek Chakraborty, Head of Brand, PR & Digital at Oriflame India, stressed the entrepreneurial angle.
“At Oriflame, we believe in empowering individuals to create their own path,” Chakraborty noted. “This collaboration with Whosthat360 allows us to connect directly with communities — especially women — offering them opportunities to explore entrepreneurship and flexible income through high-quality products. The Northeast Yatra is a significant step in making our vision more accessible and impactful.”
Whosthat360, recognised as India’s fastest-growing influencer content platform, specialises in covering the creator ecosystem and runs major events such as the WhosNext Influencer Awards and National Talent Hunt. Its partnership with Oriflame combines talent discovery with practical beauty and wellness expertise.
Oriflame, a Swedish beauty and wellbeing company established in 1967, operates in over 60 markets and has empowered more than 3 million Beauty Entrepreneurs globally through its social selling model. The company has earned recognition as a European Climate Leader by the Financial Times and Statista for five consecutive years due to its sustainability initiatives. In India, it maintains a strong focus on women’s financial independence and holistic wellbeing.
For many young attendees in Shillong, the launch event highlighted practical pathways into the creator economy. Beyond glamour and workshops, the Yatra emphasises skill development, brand collaboration, and micro-entrepreneurship — areas where Northeast youth have shown growing interest but limited structured support.
Recent industry observations suggest the region’s creator scene is gaining momentum, with local voices increasingly seeking national visibility. By bringing a national beauty brand and a leading influencer platform directly to college campuses and communities, the campaign seeks to address this gap through on-ground engagement rather than distant digital campaigns.
As the Yatra moves forward, it is expected to generate numerous success stories of discovered talent and new beauty entrepreneurs. The initiative reflects a broader trend of brands investing in regional creator ecosystems to foster inclusive growth in India’s digital economy.
With the first stop successfully completed in Shillong, anticipation is building for how this journey will shape opportunities for the Northeast’s next generation of creators and entrepreneurs in the months ahead.
