Fashion
The viral fashion show by slum children that is wowing India
A video of a fashion shoot in India has gone viral and unexpectedly turned a group of underprivileged school children into local celebrities.
The footage shows the children, most of them girls between the ages of 12 and 17, dressed in red and gold outfits fashioned from discarded clothes.
The teenagers designed and tailored the outfits and also doubled up as models to showcase their creations, with the grubby walls and terraces of the slum providing the backdrop for their ramp walk.
The video was filmed and edited by a 15-year-old boy.
The video first appeared earlier this month on the Instagram page of Innovation for Change, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the city of Lucknow.
The charity works with about 400 children from the city’s slums, providing them free food, education and job skills. The children featured in the shoot are students of this NGO.
Mehak Kannojia, one of the models in the video, told the BBC that she and her fellow students closely followed the sartorial choices of Bollywood actresses on Instagram and often duplicated some of their outfits for themselves.
“This time, we decided to pool our resources and worked as a group,” the 16-year-old said.
For their project, they chose wisely – a campaign by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, one of India’s top fashion designers who has dressed Bollywood celebrities, Hollywood actresses and billionaires. In 2018, Kim Kardashian wore his sequinned red sari for a Vogue shoot.
Mukherjee is also known as the “king of weddings” in India. He has dressed thousands of brides, including Bollywood celebrities such as Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone. Priyanka Chopra married Nick Jonas in a stunning red Sabyasachi outfit.
IMehak said their project, called Yeh laal rang (the colour red), was inspired by the designer’s heritage bridal collection.
“We sifted through the clothes that had come to us in donation and picked out all the red items. Then we zeroed in on the outfits we wanted to make and began putting them together.”
It was intense work – the girls stitched about a dozen outfits in three-four days but, Mehak says, they had “great fun doing it”.
For the ramp walk, Mehak says they studied the models carefully in Sabyasachi videos and copied their moves.
“Just like his models, some of us wore sunglasses, one drank from a sipper with a straw, while another walked carrying a cloth bundle under her arm.”
Some of it, Mehak says, came together organically. “At one point in the shoot, I was supposed to laugh. At that moment, someone said something funny and I just burst out laughing.”
It was an ambitious project, but the result has won hearts in India. Put together on a shoestring budget with donated clothes, the video went viral after Mukherjee reposted it on his Instagram feed with a heart emoji.
The campaign won widespread praise, with many on social media comparing their work to that of professionals.
The viral video has brought enormous attention to the charity and its school has been visited by several TV channels, some of the children were invited to participate in shows on popular FM radio stations and Bollywood actress Tamannah Bhatia visited them to accept a scarf from the children.
The response, Mehak says, has been “totally unexpected”.
“It feels like a dream come true. All my friends are sharing the video and saying ‘you’ve become famous’. My parents were full of joy when they heard about all the attention we are getting.
“We are feeling wonderful. Now we have only one dream left – to meet Sabyasachi.”
The shoot, however, also received criticism, with some wondering if showing young girls dressed as brides could encourage child marriage in a country where millions of girls are still married off by their families before they turn 18 – the legal age.
The Innovation for Change addressed the concern in a post on Instagram, saying they had no intention to encourage child marriage.
“Our aim is not to promote child marriage in any way. Today, these girls are able to do something like this by fighting against such ideas and restrictions. Please appreciate them, otherwise the morale of these children will fall.”
[BBC]
Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe has died in London aged 80.
Costelloe became one of the best-known names in British and Irish fashion and was personal designer to the late Diana, the Princess of Wales.
His family issued a statement on Saturday saying they were “deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Costelloe following a short illness”.
They added: “He was surrounded by his wife and seven children and passed peacefully in London.”
He was born in Dublin where his father ran a successful company making raincoats.
After studying at the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design he moved to Paris where he took a course at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris.
He set up his own label in 1979, Paul Costelloe Collections, and presented collections at London Fashion Week, as well as in Paris, Milan and New York.
In 1983 he was appointed personal designer to Diana, Princess of Wales, a collaboration which continued until her death in 1997.
Costelloe often used traditional Irish fabrics and textiles in his designs, including Irish linen and tweed.
He collaborated with Dunnes Stores and was the closing designer for the inaugural Ireland Fashion Week in October this year.
He was criticised in 1998 when he said that Irish women lacked style.
“Irish women have difficulty with style because it’s not in their inner nature… like the Italians,” he said at the time
However, during an interview with Irish broadcaster RTÉ this year, he said he felt that Ireland was more European than years ago.
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin said he was “very saddened to learn of the passing of Paul Costelloe”.
“An icon of design, Paul elevated Irish fashion to the global stage,” he said.
Tánaiste (deputy PM) Simon Harris said Costelloe had “led a remarkable life”.
Harris added: “He built a hugely successful business through incredible talent, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to quality.
“He leaves behind a body of work that shaped modern Irish fashion and will continue to shape it in the years to come. He will be greatly missed and warmly remembered.”
[BBC]
Colombo Fashion Week CFW marked a glittering milestone this season -22 glamorous years of elevating Sri Lankan fashion. CFW ‘s evolving platform has shaped designers,nurtured creativity and positioned the island on the global style map
While becoming one of the most influential style platforms in South Asia,what began as a visionary initiative has grown into a movement shaping designers, nurturing talent, reviving craftsmanship and bringing global attention to the region’s extraordinary design language.
This anniversary will shimmer with nostalgia, innovation and unmistakable South Asian flow.
From handwoven saris reimagined for the modern woman to bold menswear, resort wear, sustainable collections and couture dipping in embellishments.
CFW has proved once again that Sri Lanka stands proudly among the region’s fashion capitals.
Over the past decades CFW has redefined the region’s fashion identity.it created opportunities for young designers to open pathways to international markets, revived craft communities, and built a culture where fashion is both creative and responsible.
Today, its influence extends beyond Sri Lanka attracting designers and fashion lovers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the wider South Asian sphere.
No celebration is complete without acknowledging the artistry of Raman Fernando, whose beauty direction has shaped the CFW aesthetic since its inception.Her partnership has been integral to elevating the event’s aesthetic from the backstage transformations to the signature looks that complemented each designer’s wish.
Twenty two years on CFW, remains more than a fashion show, it has shaped Sri Lanka’s design voices, contributed to the region’s fashion economy and created a dynamic bridge connecting South Asian talent with the world.
As CFW celebrates its 22 year journey one great thing is clear – the next chapter promises more brilliance, innovation and South Asian glamour. CFW continues to champion young talent through its emerging designer programmes giving newcomers the guidance needed to enter the industry with confidence.
This November Colombo fashion week steps into a bold new chapter with the launch of its latest season titled Couture and Trousseau .a refined platform dedicated to craftsmanship, luxury and modern elegance. This new edition will spotlight Sri Lankan and South Asian designers who specialise in refined couture techniques, artisanal detailing and timeless elegance.
The Couture and Trousseau Edition aims to showcase fashion as both art and heritage where modern silhouettes meet meticulous handicrafts and where designers elevate their creations to the realms of treasured pieces.
The new theme, I am sure will promise a unique runaway rich in sophistication, drama and the signature glamour for which CFW is known for
Couture and Trousseau – the season that redefines Sri Lanka fashion
A new era of elegance, couture and trousseau takes over
Beyond the runway presentations, CFW has established a substantive track record with at least 80% of featured designers having emerged from its ecosystem, with particular emphasis on nurturing Sri Lankan talent. Designers who have developed their craft through CFW have subsequently achieved international recognition, demonstrating that sustained commitment and strategic focus deliver results in an industry often characterized by transient trends.
At 22 years, CFW stands as one of only four fashion weeks in Asia to surpass the two-decade mark, a feat that underscores both its resilience and its relevance. Unlike many regional events that have come and gone, CFW has evolved into a diplomatic force, fostering reciprocal partnerships with fashion weeks across the BRICS nations, the Commonwealth, and South Asia.
This extends beyond runway presentations. CFW generates measurable economic impact through tourism, hospitality infrastructure development, and the creation of business opportunities that benefit host cities and their broader communities. The platform’s model demonstrates how strategic cultural investment can drive commercial growth across multiple sectors simultaneously.
Since 2003, CFW has systematically expanded its scope, inviting designers from neighbouring nations to share the platform with Sri Lankan counterparts. The result is a distinctive space where regional diversity is celebrated rather than marginalized and where collaboration supersedes competition. In a geopolitical climate frequently defined by division, CFW presents an alternative narrative: fashion as shared language, commerce as common ground.
This November 2025, CFW’s new season titled ‘Couture and Trousseau,’ strategically focusing on a segment of fashion that presents significant growth opportunities for Sri Lankan designers: bridal and destination weddings. This expansion reflects South Asia’s burgeoning bridal market and positions Sri Lankan designers to capture a larger share of this lucrative sector. By identifying and activating relevant commercial opportunities prior to each season, CFW continues to demonstrate that regional collaboration and sustained investment in creative talent can reshape not only an industry, but the economic landscape of an entire region.
The Couture + Trousseau season of CFW was presented in partnership with Nations Trust Bank American Express, Cinnamon Grand, Lanka Tiles, IDL, Vision Care, Hameedia, ITC, Beauty by Rosh, Ramani Fernando Salons, , Emerging Media, Hardtalk and Acorn whose continued collaboration strengthens CFW’s commitment to celebrating innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship within Sri Lanka’s fashion industry.
Two Miss Universe judges have resigned days before the annual beauty pageant, with one of them accusing organisers of rigging the selection process.
Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, who announced his resignation from the eight-member jury on Instagram, alleged that an “impromptu jury” had pre-selected finalists ahead of the competition, set to be held on Friday in Thailand.
Hours later, French football manager Claude Makélélé also announced he’d pulled out, citing “unforeseen personal reasons”.
The resignations come two weeks after several Miss Universe contestants walked out of a pre-pageant event over controversial comments made by an official from host nation Thailand.
“An impromptu jury has been formed to select 30 finalists from among the 136 participating countries, without the presence of any of the real eight members of the jury, including me,” Harfouch wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday, saying he had discovered this via social media.
The unofficial jury comprises “individuals with a significant potential conflict of interest due to some personal relationships with some of the Miss Universe contestants”, he claimed.
Harfouch did not elaborate on how this “impromptu jury” would function, or how it would override the official jury’s decision.
The Miss Universe Organisation on Tuesday put out a statement to rebuff Harfouch’s claims, saying that “no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists”.
It suggested that Harfouch may have been referring to the Beyond the Crown programme: a “social impact initiative” that operates independently from the Miss Universe competition, and has a separate selection committee.
The Miss Universe Organisation announced the Beyond the Crown selection committee on Monday. In its statement on Tuesday, the organisation said that Harfouch’s allegations had “mischaracterised” the programme.
Mr Makélélé, who also announced his resignation via Instagram, described it as a “difficult decision”. “I hold Miss Universe in the highest regard. The platform represents empowerment, diversity, and excellence – values I have always championed throughout my career,” he wrote.
The beauty pageant drew backlash earlier this month after its Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly berated Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, at a pre-pageant event for not posting promotional content on her social media platforms.
In videos that have since gone viral, Ms Bosch and several other contestants could be seen walking out of the event, and some could be heard shouting at Nawat.
Mr Nawat later claimed that some of his words were misunderstood – but his conduct nevertheless prompted a stern rebuke from the Miss Universe Organisation, which has since sent a delegation of international executives to take over running the competition.
[BBC]
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