When the audience convened for a unique event in the heart of Delhi—-a fashion show for the differently abled—a bevvy of beauties donning the latest styles made by India’s best fashion designers walked the ramp.
Yet, it was when national awardee Tamana Chona, dressed in a white ensemble offset with
a striking jacket printed with her own work of art led the confident students of Tamana NGO down
the catwalk, that the stage truly lit up.
Fashion is the most universally accessible medium of self-expression. Aware of this simple truth, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardee Shayama Chona, founder of Tamana NGO, tied up with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) for an annual fashion show, some 13 years ago.
Her aim was to carry forward the theme of inclusion of the differently abled in society and cultivate respect for differences of all kinds. For years, the students of Tamana NGO have walked the ramp alongside supermodels wearing the creations of premier designers. This year, Tamana’s name was added to the coveted list of designers as her vibrant paintings inspired many of the designs on display.
“During the pandemic, I began painting as a therapeutic hobby. It makes me so happy to see my paintings being used as beautiful clothes,” shares Tamana, filled with pride.
Her mother elucidates further, "Staying committed to celebrating the beauty in diversity, our tireless efforts towards better representation of our divyangjan has allowed for an increasingly inclusive society. The founding principle of this fashion show is quite simple: all are created equal. And inclusion creates a unity that goes beyond fashion."
The line-up of A-list designers, each of whom showcased between four to six styles on the ramp, included Anju Modi, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Payal Jain, Namrata Joshipura, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Reynu Taandon, Pawan Sachdeva, Dhruv Vaish, Neetu Singh and Abhi Singh.
Focussing on khadi and handloom fabrics, their creations stayed within the confines of muted colours like maroon, bottled green, turmeric yellow, indigo and white.
Designs inspired by Tamana’s paintings were created by designers Ira Berry, Sonia Kumar and Asha Gautam. Each outfit was wearable, comfortable and stylish, as evident from the joy on the faces of the differently-abled models showcasing them. They pranced, danced and revelled in their performance on stage.