Pune, Jan 22: Citing the example of Italian global luxury fashion house Prada’s use of Kolhapuri chappal designs, Iranian-German actor and international model Elnaaz Norouzi has said there is immense creativity in Indian fashion, and the world is increasingly emulating India.
“The Indian fashion industry is very big, and Indian fashion is increasingly being embraced in the West. People in the West are inspired not just by our fashion, but by our creativity as a whole. I come from the West, I grew up in Germany, and I can see how much is happening in India,” she said.
Norouzi was speaking on the sidelines of the fashion show ‘Runway Raaga’ in Pune, hosted by Shruti Bengre, where she turned showstopper for celebrity designer Ken Fern’s Silverblood collection on Wednesday.
“Indian people are incredibly creative. There is so much innovation here, and whatever we do in fashion, the world ends up copying it. Take, for example, Prada using Kolhapuri chappal designs,” said Norouzi.
After the use of Kolhapuri chappals in a collection led to controversy, Italian luxury fashion brand Prada acknowledged the connection, saying the design was “inspired” by the Indian handcrafted footwear.
The fashion house also signed a memorandum of understanding with two government organisations – LIDCOM (Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd) and LIDKAR (Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Ltd) — to source sandals, inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals.
The mode-turn-actor, meanwhile, said that Indian fashion is global, and will be bigger.
Norouzi also expressed concerns over the developments in Iran and said they have affected her.
“Everybody knows what is happening in my home country – Iran. I have been feeling low and down for the last two to three weeks and it has been tough for me because I am not able to reach out to my family. I do not know what they are up to. But when you are put in an outfit like this, you forget everything. At that moment, you still have to be professional and do your job, but wearing something like this makes you feel on top of the world because the outfit gives you that strength,” she said.
Designer Ken Ferns said the Indian fashion industry has so much to offer. “We need to seize the opportunities. I believe Indian fashion designers should continue doing what they have always done, and the world will come and appreciate it,” he said.
Ferns presented Silverblood – The Alchemy of Element 80, a collection inspired by mercury, the only metal that exists in a fluid state.
Translating scientific inspiration into couture, the collection explored transformation and movement through modern, sculptural design.
The show also presented models with vitiligo who walked the ramp to create awareness and tackle the stigma during a presentation curated by Chopsy Oberoi, a fashion designer.
Norouzi hailed the gesture. “We always look for perfection. Especially models and actors try to look perfect, but there is so much more to perfection than being perfect,” she said. (PTI)
