All the participating designers are currently practicing fashion at the Creation of the Institute of Fashion Design at Lazimpat which is a franchise of the Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) based in Chandigarh, India. The fashion school annually organizes fashion shows to provide creative platform to their students. And this special occasion is usually graced by the reigning Miss India who is the brand ambassador of INFID. Thus, this time Miss India World 2009 Pooja Chopra will walk the ramp of Fashionova.
“Moreover, the fashion show is also a particular way of reminding the government and society that fashion courses exist in Nepal and should be included in formal curricula,” elucidates Prakash Shrestha, manager of the institute.
The 90 designs that are to be exhibited at Fashionova have been divided into 10 themes. Keeping up with the revival of the fashion trends of the 1930s and ‘60s in mind, the event holders have wisely selected themes such as The 30’s Fever and 60’s Reloaded.
While designers on themes, such as Exotic Tribal, have borrowed the stereotyped tribal concept and have limited themselves to African tribal looks and tiger and leopard prints, despite the presence of Nepali tribal group such as Rautes and Chepangs whose designs and fabrics are still to be explored in fashion.
The rest of the themes are Back To School, A Mirror of Love, 70’s Punk “N” Rock, Gypsy, Graphic Black & White, Crazy Jeans, and Traditional Romantic. And to each theme, at least two to four designers have been assigned.
“The students were given 10 days to study and do research on the concept they had to work on. The study was mainly Internet-based,” informs Fashion & Designer Coordinator of the institute, Saikat Dutta.
The next phase involved design development where students presented their sketches, out of which the best were selected by the faculty members. And those chosen ones made it to the final phase – the construction. And currently, designers along with their professional stitchers are working together on the final products.
The final masterpieces are to be the balancing act between wearable clothes and clothes as works of art.
“We’ve worked on some clothes that are not just pieces of art but are serious wearable apparels,” informs Alisha Shrestha, who is presenting designs on Graphic Black & White.
Some of the remarkable assemblages come in the Graphic Black & White theme, where swatches of white and black colors have been brilliantly played with. Other themes worth mentioning are the Mirror of Love, and Traditional Romantic, wherein the feminine frame is swathed in elegant drapes for the ultimate romantic look. A Victorian era-inspired apposite gown in Nepali Dhaka material stirs up the air of sophistication, which is a major pull of this fashion gala.
Along with reviving the retro looks and filling the air with sophistication, the fashion show also includes the conspicuous changing landscapes of school and college uniforms. School dresses have been given contemporary approach in the the Back to School theme, according to the designers.
“Students have taken inspiration from Japanese and Korean school looks where checkered patterns are omnipresent,” informs Saikat. But as the designers claim that they have considered the limitations that a uniform should have, some of the dresses are more suitable on the ramps than in actual schoollife.
Fashionova is also a reminder that clothes without accessories are incomplete. Accessories, such as belts, reigns supreme in the 30s theme, which are used to accentuate the regular looking A-line and ruffled dresses. And turban, a daring accessory style in women’s department, though Kate Moss has already been spotted donning it in the international scenes, is also to be included in this fashion show.
Along with the priority given to designs and accessories, fabrics and colors have also been selected accordingly.
“Unlike in international markets, lots of comprises have to be made by Nepali fashion designers in terms of fabrics,” observes Subidha Gurung one of the designers. According to her, designs had to be altered or modified due to the unavailability of required fabrics.
“Usually, we design and then look for fabrics. But here, we have to search for the fabrics and then come up with designs,” admits Subidha.
Amidst the hullabaloo that Nepali fashion shows are carbon copies and lack creativity, the works brought by these 27 designers infuse freshness to the regular designs. Likewise, viewing detailed patches and embroidery works by the designers are worthy enough for keen notice. But there is always a room to learn and improve, as the concept of bizarreness in the name of creativity still exists in the fashion world.
Participants’ Names: Alisha Shrestha, Ashma Regmi, Bipana Thapa, Dil Kumari Limbu, Ekta Bista, Junu Khanal Sharma, Nima Sherpa, Noor Rajbhandari, Muna Bhujel, Pushpa Gurung, Krisha Shrestha, Rajan Dangol, Rina Adhikari, Roshani Shahi, Sabita Gotame, Sabitri Khadka, Sharada Poudel, Sobina Rajbhandari, Subidha Gurung, Subiksha Ghimire, Sudarshana Maharjan, Sujata Thapa, Sunaina Shrestha, Sushant Shrestha, Sushila Thapa, Sweccha Nakarmi, and Zubeda Khan.