Staff Reporter | EMN
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 3
THE Northeast India Academy of Performing Arts (NIAPA), Dimapur is poised to make its mark in the global fashion industry.
Come 2014, NIAPA will begin its international debut at the Couture Week, New York on February 15 next to showcase India’s culture. The New York Couture Week is one of the world’s premier fashion events with over 200 press organizations covering it and TV viewership of more than 800 million over 139 countries reaching across 5 continents. Since 2003, the Couture Fashion Week has been presenting a series of couture and luxury fashion shows multiple times each year in New York City, Palm Beach and other selected cities.
Held at New York’s prestigious venue, the New Yorker hotel, the Couture Week generates a lot of interest not just from the fashion world but also in the retail and commercial sectors as fine designers from across the world participate to showcase their exquisite garments and accessories.
The event, which aims at promoting different cultures of the world, also combines art, luxury, fashion and entertainment and has participation of exceptional international designers, luxury brands and provides world-class entertainment.
Talking to Eastern Mirror, the Managing Director of NIAPA, Akuonuo Khezhie, who herself had walked the ramp twice at the Couture Week during the Spring/Summer 2010 and Fall/Winter 2010, has expressed her joy over the honour accorded to NIAPA to represent India at the premier fashion event.
Miss Khezhie, herself has previous experience of walking the ramp for the Chocolate Runaway Show, New York and even a photo shoot for Redken Global Fashion. This time she is all the more excited for her new role,behind the stage.
Pleased with the privilege her academy is being given, she foresee it as an opportunity for Naga designers to get introduced to international markets. The opportunity is rare and denied to even some very successful names in the fashion industry across the world and India.
The Managing Director NIAPA also informed that as a prelude to the New York show, her academy would be organizing the first Nagaland designer contest called the ‘NIAPA Designer Award’. The winner will get to showcase his/her collection at the New York Couture Week and the four finalists will get to showcase their collection at the Hornbill festival where NIAPA would be organizing the ‘NIAPA Fashion Night’ in December.
“There are lots of talented Naga designers who have the potential to excel higher even nationally and internationally, but the lack of platform has been a huge setback,” said Khezhie, who was the fresh face winner of Pantaloon Femina Miss India 2007 and Miss Nagaland 2000.
The Executive Director NIAPA, Kunoto Chishi, who is overseeing the preparation for the New York show said, the academy will choose the rich histir and culture of Nagaland and Northeast India as its theme for the show.
NIAPA is preparing a one-hour show encapsulating the essence of the region .
“When we have been listed by the National Geographic Channel as one of the culture that’s fast dying out, isn’t it a big concern?. It’s time we need to let the world know about us and our culture,” said Miss Khezie as she looks ahead to the New York Couture Week 2014.
