North East Festival brings the region’s designers to New Delhi for runway show

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Nov 20, 2019

The seventh edition of North East Festival featured a fashion show to highlight the region’s design talent in the capital and designers including Bambi Kevichasa showcased their latest collections on the runway.

North East Festival took place at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi last week and featured over 100 craft stalls showcasing handloom textile products from the region. An evening runway show saw designers take to the stage to present collections that mixed North East heritage crafts with a modern, wearable aesthetic. 

Impulse Empower showcased its designs in the fashion show as well as a range of accessories and home furnishings. The brand employs women form rural areas in the North East as part of its work to fight against human trafficking and showcased a collection featuring bright green tailored jackets with ethnic motifs. 

"The brand works for the tribal women of the North East,” Impulse Empower designer Mitali Gurung told India Today. “We work to empower women by keeping them employed, and from falling into human trafficking. We have thousands of weavers from all the Seven Sisters working for us."

Bambi Kevichasa presented handloom textiles in neutral tones and relaxed silhouettes. Red fringing details, borders, and a dash of maroon added dimension to the collection. Models wore sculptural headdresses and simple sandals as a modern take on North East heritage.

Other participating designers included Jennu Doyom, Tokila Sinruwng, Maxwell Yangoijam, Adityam Saikia, Bidyut Bikash Bhagawati, and Mehzabin Ershad. The event also featured a live music festival and other entertainment. The event’s sponsors included Incredible India, Indian Oil, CBTC, and the Tea Board India among others.