Fashion students spice up the runway

Nepal: Namuna College of Fashion Technology (NCFT) held its annual graduation fashion show, The Journey of Fashion, at The Soaltee Kathmandu on April 6, Thursday. This year, the graduating batch of students showcased their designs on the theme, ‘Kalpanam Satyatat’ (forming into reality).

                                  Photo: Courtesy of Capture Photography

The event featured designs from 83 students who are in their final year of the Bachelor of fashion design and management (BFDM) programme at NCFT. Nine sequences with different concepts were presented at the show. Every sequence had nine looks—the 3rd sequence, Mystique Epiphany, an exception, having 11 looks—with a creative wear design, worked on by all the students in that particular segment team, closing each segment.

A collection of promotional designs created by each of the sequence teams kicked off the show after which the first sequence, Sparkling Soiree, on the theme crystalline, was shown which featured bodycon dresses in classic designs accented by celestine crystals.

The next two sequences were titled Darkness Revamp and Mystique Epiphany, respectively. The Darkness Revamp collection utilised red and maroon leather, latex and velvet fabrics alongside neutral and gold net, lace, fur and chain to curate dresses inspired by the 2002 movie ‘Femme Fatale’. Mystique Epiphany, on the other hand, had breezy and floofy dresses made from organza, lace, crepe, silk and net fabric in pastel colours, perfectly presenting the theme Aurora.

Razzmatazz, the 4th sequence, was the highlight of the show. The nine looks included in this segment embodied the Gilded Glamour theme, showcasing elegant outfits made from velvet, brocade and organza with gold embellishments, fit for boujee parties. Every look in this segment was a standout—from sophisticated dresses inspired by Nepali sarees with corsets as the bodice to sherwani-esq outfits donned by the male models. The hats included in all the looks, akin to Nepali topis (hats)--just made from velvet in deep gemstone shades—added another layer of refinement to the overall look.

The sequence that followed, Artistry of Adversity, unveiled outfits inspired by traditional Japanese costumes. While the outfits looked lovely and the colours of the fabrics used were very pleasant, one could argue the designs (and the overall theme) of the segment walked a questionable line between appropriation and appreciation of a foreign culture.

Creep on the Dark, Griffonage and Neon Parade followed Artistry of Adversity and the designs present in these segments did a fine job embodying their respective themes: Black Swan, Graffiti and Glow in The Dark.

The last sequence, Eccentric Relaxed Edge, was another highlight from the show. True to the theme, Eclectic, the outfits here were a tasteful mishmash of colours, fabrics and textures. Even with the many layers included in each outfit and the oversized fits, the designers of the segment did a fantastic job of creating pleasant silhouettes.

NCFT faculty, Rojin Shakya, who teaches fashion show event management at the school and was the choreographer at the show, said the students coordinated and managed everything for the event.

Ashwini Karmacharya, one of the designers for the 5th sequence, Artistry of Adversity, who is also a part of the event coordinating team commented, “Everyone in the graduating batch contributed a lot to coordinate everything for the show.” Fellow student Samikshya Mainali added that the graduating batch had been preparing for the show for over six months.

All graduating students The Post spoke to exclaimed that they are thankful their teachers trusted them with managing everything for the show as they can utilise the knowledge and experience they gained here later in their careers when they organise fashion shows of their own.

When asked what she has planned for the future, now that she has graduated, student Amisha Sunam stated that she has applied to foreign universities to pursue a Master’s in fashion. “No institute in Nepal offers a Master’s programme in fashion. So, I’ll study abroad and then come back to be a designer here,” she said.

NCFT has been organising The Journey of Fashion since 2005 and this year marked the 17th edition of the show. According to representatives from the school, students are graded for the creations they exhibit at the event and these scores will contribute to their final grades.