On the eve of the Pujas, students of NIFD Global Salt Lake set the stage for the festival with a fashion show featuring the latest trends woven with the wealth of our heritage.

Agomoni 2024 began at the institute’s DD Block campus with a dance performance to Ai giri Nandini by faculty members Sanchita Basak and Priyanka Roychowdhury. Second-year students then displayed ethnic wear inspired by the theme of Indian architecture. Their collection, titled Husn, featured pastel salwar suits, kurtas, and shararas that highlighted the soft tones and natural elements associated with Indian attire.

“It was challenging to work with delicate fabrics and intricate ornamentation techniques, especially with students who are still learning, but they did an excellent job,” said Sharanya Sengupta, a senior faculty member who was mentor of the Husn collection.

Priya Mishra and Purva Agarwal mentored the “Rup Rekha” collection, featuring ethnic gowns and lehengas with intricate ornaments, reflecting the wealth of Indian heritage.

Then suddenly, the event took a surprise turn as the faculty members announced an impromptu ramp walk. This turned out to be fun and exciting.

Tell and show

The event then transitioned into a highly anticipated segment where fourth-year students presented a story-telling fashion show. Titled “Sundarban er Itikatha,” the show paid homage to the residents of the Sundarbans, who worship the jungle goddess Bonbibi to protect them from the tiger. Twelve participants showcased a fashion collection that told the story of Shankar and Parbati, a Sundarban couple who earn their livelihood by fishing and collecting honey, and pray to Bonbibi.

Their stories were sung in panchali-style by fourth year student Swagata Ghosh and the outfits were inspired by the natural surroundings of the coastal district.

“I’m a passionate writer and was thrilled with the opportunity to create something in Bengali,” said Swagata, who had written the script too. “The story explored the challenging conditions of the Sundarbans and the people’s faith in the goddess. We used the outfits of 12 models, accompanied by a background song, to convey our message.”

Students from the interior and fashion design unit also presented a collection of trousers and T-shirts featuring graphics of Durga, merging traditional themes with Western styles. The concluding show, “Anuttoma,” captured the spirit of the Pujas what with a backdrop of kashful, dhak and knashor to go with the collection. “For this section, we transformed saris into gowns and lehengas to make them industry-ready. As a designer, I taught them how even a simple printed sari can be turned into a stunning outfit for festive occasions, including bridal parties,” said mentor B. Kaushik.

“Agomoni 2024 was organised to provide a platform to students to showcase their creations, on which they had worked long and hard,” said John Sengupta, head of the fashion department, who had also conceptualised the story-telling segment.