Many young people have started following western fashion influenced by fashion idols like Lady Gaga or Kate Moss whereas another part of young fashion also seems to be affected by Asian fashion from Japan or Korea. In a way, media has been playing a very big role in the type of fashion young people wear and the fashion icons that young people tend to look up to.[break]
“I think the young crowds of Kathmandu have started becoming more fashionable these days but most of them lack that creative touch to it,” says Ayushma Rayamaji, 19, a high-school graduate currently interning at Today’s Youth Asia. Ayushma loves fashion, traditional Nepali more than urban, and visits traditional boutiques rather than urban stores. Ayushma believes fashion should be more of a creative outlet and needs to be artistic. “Many young people just blindly follow what western people are wearing or even try to don the Korean fashion and I don’t like that. I think fashion should be all about you and nothing in the world but you, so young people need to make that effort to create something original and try to create a fashion that they are really comfortable in. Fashion is not about showing off, it’s about expressing yourself,” she informs.
Media plays a very big role in the fashion that young people show off on the streets. Availability to international fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle or Cosmopolitan drive young people to fashion and even locally, many fashion magazine have started coming up. Smartphone apps like Pose or Stylebook or even fashion websites like mfashionista.com have stared influencing a lot of young people. The primal drive for young people to look good and to make an impression on people seem to be the driving force behind the fashion craze for teenagers.
Fashion is also a lot about comfort and young people these days seem to flaunt dresses that aren’t very practical as well. Fashion has a lot to do with art and many of the runway fashion break the barrier of practicality for artistic expression. Donning fashionable clothes also plays on a lot of the artistic ability of young people and many fashionistas seem to be aware of the artistic side of fashion and try to be as expressive and creative with their clothes as they can.
“Young people are very fashionable these days but what they need to focus on is the practicality of the fashion they are flaunting,” says 19 year-old Geetika Khatry, a high-school graduate going away to college in India this year. Geetika believes that fashion has a lot to do with connectivity and self-expression. She believes that summer clothes don’t always have to be skimpy and reveling, summer clothes can be light or cotton but since young people are so fashion conscious and fashion aware, they tend to try out new fashion. “I have seen people on the street walking with very uncomfortable shoes that are not made to be walked on for the purpose of fashion, but that beats the whole idea of fashion and clothes. People need to realize that fashion is not only about looking good, it’s about being comfortable in what you’re wearing and pulling it off well,” she adds.
The sudden surge in the style quotients can also be accredited to the accessibility these days with many fashion stores and fashion designers coming up in Kathmandu.
“There are a lot of young people who visit my store,” says Kelsang Lama, owner of House of KTM Vintage, adding, “Young people are so connected these days and with many fashion bloggers and the social media and that also helps young people stay in tuned to the latest fashion styles. 30-40% people who visit my store don’t know about Vintage but the young people here are very open to new things and I guess that is why people have turned so fashionable these days.”
Fashion has turned into a very integral part of urban culture in Kathmandu and many young people are open to try out new things. Fashion is a way of expression and young people tend to build on that fact, making fashion more for themselves than for others. Fashion is about self-expression and comfort and fashionistas seem to understand that more and more. And with the introduction of many talented young fashion designers and many fashion stores, the future of fashion looks much brighter.
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