The September 17 event had the best promotion a fashion event in Nepal could have, with perfect balance of reality and a vision for the future.[break]
However, KFP was brought down to its knees due to multiple technical glitches, and well, the fashion itself that was being paraded.
The first ever flat runway and the seating arrangements were the only saving grace that prevented it from falling flat on its face.
Let us focus on the technical issues first. The show started nearly 45 minutes late, much to the dismay of the very well-dressed audience. The effort they had put into their personal looks reflected how high they had placed this event in terms of their expectations.
When the show finally started, the audio-visual, which had the designers talking about their collections, got stuck time and again. And in typical Nepali style, the lights went off and the backup electricity took nearly 10 minutes, which in the fashion world is a lifetime, to come back.
In terms of fashion, we would say a huge loss in a marketing opportunity for the designers as the audience was filled with potential buyers who would not have batted an eyelash to open their wallets to buy their designs.
The designers were handpicked to represent the cream of the crop but utterly failed to deliver, which could be one of the reasons our fashion industry is still so nascent even at this day and age.
The only designer who managed to stand out was Astik Sherchan who started the show.
However, the intricate and interesting detailing fell short in finishing, as some of the garments had threads hanging out which hampered his otherwise well structured garments.
Even the well known Nuzhat Qazi failed to amaze, as most of her designs were old fashioned, ill fitted and were an awkward fusion of ethnic and western concepts.
The show stopper gown worn by Sneha Rana did, however, do justice to her fashion credibility.
Qazi’s thunder was stolen by Kusbhoo Dangol and Swarnim Rai of Oodni whose traditional attires were almost at par with our Southern neighbor in terms of glitz and glamor.
The accessories showcased by Aura Que were interesting, to say the least, and impressive for the fact that they were all made in Nepal. Through her collection, Laura Queening showed the potential our fashion industry has within the country.
And last but not the least, House of Alternative Apparel played it very safe with their collection. The fashion house’s vision and that of the show fit like a glove, but their lack of risk and use of the same fabric, texture play and Mad Men-inspired wardrobe had nothing new to offer.
All in all, the idea of the event, though promising, got lost along the way in execution.
The show reflects the potential of an international standard fashion show here in Nepal but designers need to appreciate the platform that these sorts of shows create for them and pull up their socks to present their vision in fabric.
As, at the end of the show, such events put spotlights on their collections and aid in selling their products.
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