Apparel Group co-organises khadi fashion show

A khadi fashion show was co-organised by Middle East-based retailer Apparel Group as part of the celebrations on the occasion of the 70^th Republic Day of India at Etihad Jumeirah Hotel, Abu Dhabi on January 26, 2019. The event was held in collaboration with the Embassy of India, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Apparel Group and Indian Business & Professional Group (IBPG), Abu Dhabi.

Khadi, a sustainable natural hand-spun fabric with zero carbon footprint, is becoming globally popular for being an eco-friendly and breathable textile. Two fashion designers – Sunaina Suneja from India and Feryal Al Bastaki from the UAE – showcased their collections highlighting the opulent legacy of Indian textiles and Emirati designs.

Apparel Group chairman, Nilesh Ved expressed his pride in being able to use the nation’s fabric and take it to a centre stage and contribute to khadi’s revival in the UAE. He said that khadi was increasingly breaking free from its humble status to become part and parcel of fashion circuits in offices and daily lives and that it had huge scope in the UAE market, all the more when presented by creative artists like Suneja and Al Bastaki.

According to Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri, in view of increasing demand for khadi in the UAE, the Indian Embassy will facilitate meetings of KVIC which has been mandated by the Government of India to promote khadi and its products with textile groups in the UAE to fill in the gaps in the retail sector. He added that with khadi having a unique quality of being warm in winters and cool in summers, it is India’s gift to the world as a hand-woven luxury.

KVIC chairman VK Saxena expressed that KVIC was happy to be part of khadi promotion in the UAE, with which India enjoys deep cultural and civilizational links. He appreciated the idea of a collaboration between an Indian and Emirati designer to promote khadi, while showcasing the beauty of both the cultures.