North East Design Fest ends on a high note in New Delhi

North East Design Fest - a mega four day festival comprising of Fashion shows, Cultural program and Exhibitions of Handloom, Handicrafts, Jute, MSME sector of the North East Region ends today in New Delhi . The aim of the festival was  to create an interaction of ideas, provide an international standard marketing forum and a unique platform to showcase NE India’s textiles and artisans who have come not only with their handlooms, but also- Jute, Khadi, Coirboard, Assam Silk and handicrafts as well. The leading institute of Assam, North East Institute of Fashion Technology (NEIFT)   organized North East Design Fest from 19 September to 22 September, 2013.

North East Design Fest witnessed twelve fashion shows highlighting Handloom and Handicrafts Ensemble by twelve designers Meghna Rai Medhi, Aji Semy Rengma, Mona Pali, Boney Darang, Wede Khape, Agnimitra Paul, Vianney Basiedor Nongrum, Rinzing Choden Bhutia, Gaurang Shah, Melody Runremsangi, Charlee Lalthlenmawia and Plabita Gogoi. The inaugural performance of the festival was a Sattriya Dance performed by Sanjukta Barooah.

Rock band groups Featherhead, (MOD) Minute Of Decay, Towering Faith performed folk & rock fusion in the four day festival which enthralled Delhiites.

North East Region of the country with the eight beautiful, exotic and to an extent unexplored states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim have a strong history of its traditional textiles and handicrafts which forms an integral element of  its socio- economic structure of the societies.

The festival  acts as a curtain raiser to showcase the talents of Designers, Performing artists, Artisans, Craftsmen, Weavers coming from different parts of the versatile North East region. People of the capital  got an opportunity to interact with this wonderful talented young visionaries and this would  create a bridge of understanding and mutual growth of thought process between NER and mainstream. North East Design Fest was inaugurated by  Srimati Pranatee Phukan, Minister of Handloom and Textiles Government of Assam.

Delhi’ Fashion connoisseurs rarely gets an opportunity to witness talented designers from NER like Aji Semy, Meghna Rai Medhi, Boney Darang, Rinzing Choden, Charlee Lalthlenmawia, Melody Runremsangi, Vianney Nongrum, etc who will create kaleidoscopic magic in psychedelic coloured weaved textiles and crafts of the rich traditional design methodology of NER.

To create a fusion of Pan India and NER, designers such as- Meghna Rai Medhi, Boney Darang, Charlee Lalthlenmawia, Monapali, Agnimitra, Gauranga had been roped in to  display their collections along with the NER designers. Bollywood stars Minisha Lamba, Sonal Chauhan with others walked the ramp supporting and expressing their solidarity to the talents of North East.

Mr Vikram Rai Medhi, Event Director said, “Eighty number of stalls had been erected at Select CITYWALK which  showcased and created a mini North East for cross section of the society of Delhi and this created an element of positive awareness and curiosity of our region which will thereby also play a role in the development in the Tourism sector. We thank  all culture loving people of Delhi and the media to wholeheartedly supported this humble and sincere effort closer to the mainstream.”

The festival was presented by Ministry of Textiles with the support of Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Home Affairs - departments of Handloom and Textiles of govt. of Assam & govt. of Arunachal Pradesh in association with Select CITYWALK.