Between the Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir – a breathtaking temple that took 14 years to build, constructed entirely from imported limestone according to the scriptures of the Hindu holy texts – the fireworks displays in Harrow and the queues for mithai, chaat and diyas along Ealing Road, the heart of an area affectionately known as Little India, north-west London is at its buzziest during the five days of Diwali. The festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus around the world, commemorates, among other things, the return of Lord Rama and his wife Sita to Ayodhya following his defeat of the demon king Ravana, when the people lit oil lamps to guide them home.

The area was “absolutely buzzing” during this year’s celebrations, says photographer Fabrice Bourgelle, who was dispatched to capture the festivities and, of course, the style. “Kids with sparklers, people setting off fireworks non-stop, on pavements and in front of houses. It was relentless. At times, there wasn’t a moment without the sound of loud bangs, and the air was thick with fireworks smoke.” And, naturally, “everyone was supremely well dressed”, he says, pointing to the variety of regional dress on display, from South Indian men in traditional veshti to women from the north with elaborate mehndi patterns. For Bourgelle, documenting these looks felt particularly timely. “At a time when communities at home and across the diaspora are finally speaking up about how so much of our traditional dress is being appropriated and repackaged as ‘trends’, it feels like a great moment to re-emphasise how these clothes were originally worn and where they come from.” (Read more about that here.)

Beyond the fashion, though, Bourgelle was struck by the coming together of different communities. “It was about how we turn up, come together, and how unique it is to have so many different regions in one place. Usually, you’d only experience one region at a time, but the diaspora means we find each other in places where we can,” he says. “All in all, it was really heartwarming and beautiful.” Scroll down to see it for yourself in Bourgelle’s photographs from this year’s Diwali celebrations in London.