More than 250 models, including trans activists, differently-abled, housewives, children, elderly and nationally-acclaimed professional models will sashay down the ramp in Thiruvananthapuram for a cause on May 8 to promote sports.
All these models will be wearing handloom costumes. The organisers claim that there is no age, colour, caste size or gender bar to the event. They said it will be the biggest fashion event in the handloom sector, which will change the concept of modelling. The event is a fund-raiser to enhance training opportunities and infrastructure to shape talented athletes.
Some well-known designers like Sanjana John, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Sita will be part of the event being organised by the Weaver’s Village, a well-known brand in handloom and traditional arts, said show director Sobha Viswanath.
Good old handloom is lending a helping hand to sports. The land of legendary athletes like P T Usha, Shiny Wilson, Anju Bobby George and K M Beena Mol, of late the state has been lagging in sports which in turn forced the government to float an event called Kerala Olympics from this year.
The aim is to groom and provide ample opportunities to train top-notch sportspersons.
“We follow a triple bottom line– people, planet and profit. We will give a message that as casual wear we can don handloom every day to help toiling traditional weavers.
It will also be in tune with Prime Minister Modi’s initiative ‘my handloom, my pride,” said Sobha. The show will be held in Nishgandhi auditorium in the state capital on May 8 and it will create a record of the maximum number of models in handmade weaves, she said. Many differently-abled, third sex members and housewives will rub shoulders with well-known models and film artists on the ramp.
Famous for traditional handloom clothes, Balaramapuram, (15 km away from Thiruvananthapuram) and surrounding areas once employed more than one lakh weavers but their numbers have dwindled to less than 20,000 now.
A loom’s paradise is fast turning into its graveyard but many young entrepreneurs are giving them a helping hand to check the decay and striving to attract youngsters to weaving.
Poor marketing options, government apathy, exploitative middle-men and loss of skilled weavers to other remunerative jobs has led to the handloom sector gasping for breath. Many skilled people, especially women, have turned to lucrative unskilled work under the rural job guarantee programme leaving the traditional sector in doldrums.
“The traditional sector can be saved only by mass use of its products. We are sure our effort will help bring positive changes,” said Sobha
