Guwahati: Women from the Usha Silai Schools enthralled the audiences as top models from across the country walked the ramp wearing colourful and unique ensembles made by them at the East India Fashion Week (EIFW) in Guwahati.
Under the mentorship of designers Nandini Baruva and Meghna Rai Medhi from Assam, Tsering Dolma from Sikkim, Arbin Tonjam from Manipur, and Escape Engmoia from Mizoram, selected women from Usha Silai School designed and tailored 27 pieces of clothing for the show.
The specially curated ensembles depicted the cultural ethos of the Northeastern region. Baku, the traditional Bhutia dress of Sikkim, straight pants from Manipur, traditional cuts, blouses, kurtas, and designer wear created from upcycled materials were among the show-stealers of the fashion week.
Hailing from rural areas, the 10 Usha Silai School women selected for this initiative were Durga Rani (Pakyong, Sikkim), Lalita Rai (Agrigoan Village), Dharitri Kalita (Bankakata, Assam), Rinki Das (Silchar, Assam), Salam Thoibi Devi (Moirang Village, Manipur), Elangbam Surbala (Manipur), Pinkumoni Devi (Assam), Pallabi Bora (Assam), Ramngaihpuii (Mizoram) and Lalthianghlimi (Mizoram).
Mary Rupa Tete, vice president – Usha Silai Schools, Usha International, said, “Hailing from remote villages of North East India to walking the ramp with designers with whom they worked to create the collections for the East India Fashion Week, it is truly humbling and overwhelming to see that these women have come a long way. It’s events like these that provide a stage for the work we are doing, inspiring us to do even more. This event provided real-life professional exposure to these women under the mentorship of designers who are as passionate about designing as they are about preserving the cultural ethos of this region,” Tete said.
“It is through platforms like the East India Fashion Week, we aim to promote the exceptional work done by our women and create long-term opportunities for them,” she added.
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Medha Saikia, Founder & spokesperson for the East India Fashion Week, said, “Having Usha Silai School as partners worked beautifully for us and to see the absolutely gorgeous work these women showcased just confirms that they were the right partners for us. Usha has brought a transformational change to the lives of rural women by providing them with opportunities to earn sustainable livelihoods and become entrepreneurs in their own right. We congratulate Usha International for creating such a powerful narrative of women empowerment through this initiative.”
The two-day fashion extravaganza saw top models from across the country walk the ramp in an array of stunning designs created by 25 renowned fashion designers of the Northeast, each promoting local weaves and weavers in their own unique way.
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