Fashion date for seven sisters

[1]

Anand Bhushan, Julie Deb, Tamara Moss, Nathaniel W. Rynjah, designers Gaurav and Ritika, Dephi Shullai and Jenjum Gadi

The Northeast is in the news again, and this time it is for a fashionably good reason. As the traditional weaves and the handicrafts from the seven sisters are ready to steal the spotlight on the ramp, we find out how the first Shillong Fashion Week (SFW), from October 19-20, aims to help the local designers.

In the past few years the rich silks and intricate weaves from the Northeast have been an inspiration for the mainstream labels, and hence many designers who come from these states are now ready to go back to their roots and showcase their collections back home.
Designer Jenjum Gadi, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, says, “The tribal textile in Northeast is amazing. They are very good with colours and fabrics, and this time when we are going to meet them we want to exchange our ideas and see how we can take it forward. If I can inspire the local designers there I would be really happy to help.”
B.C.H. Hajong, joint director for directorate of sericulture and weaving, says a regional fashion week will boost the confidence of local artisans.
He adds, “Through this event we are promoting the native designers with a technical background in fashion. It will be a blend of tribal culture with fashion and the event is created to support the 50,000 weavers all across the Northeast.”
Interestingly, Julie Deb, the co-founder of this event, feels that the regional fashion weeks will give a boost to the local economy. She says, “This event is not a business platform as our motive is to introduce the skilled native designers to the bigger fashion platform. There are a total of 16 participating designers. We have planned a two-day event at the Northeast Hill University Convention Centre, Shillong, where the first day is dedicated to designers from Northeast and the next day for designers from other parts of the country. ”
Designer Gaurav Jagtiani, who is also a part of the fashion event, feels that the smaller cities are a big market for new designers.
He says, “The sole purpose of participating in this event is to interact with the local weavers and get inspired. There is a strong customer base in the two-tier cities and as designers we can’t neglect them.”