Fashion show with a touch of New Zealand in Delhi soon

With an aim to promote cross-cultural fashion, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Education New Zealand (ENZ) will be organising a fashion event -- Runway to New Zealand -- based on the theme 'Future World Connection' here on May 12.

The extravaganza will showcase ensembles soaked in indigenous, sustainable fabrics by 12 Indian-New Zealand students, and will be held at Hyatt Regency here, read a statement.

As many as three students each from Indian fashion institutes -- the Pearl Academy (Noida, Jaipur and New Delhi), the National Institute of Fashion Technology (New Delhi), as well as fashion institutes from New Zealand - Massey University and AUT University -- will be working in pairs to design for the fashion gala.

There will six teams, and each of the teams will consist of one Indian student and one from New Zealand to blend in the cultural elements. They will present two garments each and compete with each other.

The Indian students of the two winning teams will be awarded a two-week internship at the participating New Zealand universities. Thier accommodation and hospitality will be taken care of by the Education New Zealand, a New Zealand's government agency for international education.

The creations will be judged by Amit Agarwal, Rina Dhaka and Rohit Bal, who will select two winning teams, one each for the AUT University internship and the Massey University internship.

The evening will also witness the presence of the High Commissioner of New Zealand Grahame Morton, FDCI designers, and faculty members from the NIFT and Pearl Academy.

New Zealand High Commissioner Morton said: "We are really excited to have Education New Zealand work with FDCI to host this first joint competition for teams of young kiwi and Indian student designers to develop garments that strongly reference the fabrics, cultural heritage and flair of both countries."

FDCI president Sunil Sethi feels that the "interesting exchange between students from New Zealand and India will make it a spectacular rendition of cross cultural references, creating a surreal experience."

--IANS

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