Piya Pawani
By Vinod Raghvan*
Muscat/Istanbul: Indian-origin model and actor Piya Pawani not just walked the ramp at the Modest Fashion Week 2024 in Istanbul recently, but also played a key role in bringing together designers, brands, influencers, industry leaders, retailers, media professionals, and fashion enthusiasts from all over the world to celebrate the artistry of modest fashion.
The Modest Fashion Week was organised under the theme of “A Unique Fashion Call for Solidarity”. It was based on modest dressing, keeping in mind the cultural and religious barriers. Piya, a highly professional model, decked very well with the traditional Indian Saree at one of her presentations. The 6-yard fine fabric was well carried by the seasoned model and was accepted by the selected crowd mostly from the fashion, clothing and designing industry present from various parts of the world in Istanbul.
Piya rubbed shoulders with celebrated models and fashion designers from various parts of the world including American fashion icons Halima Aden and Rawdah Mohammed. Halima Aden walked for the Indonesian brand Buttonscarves, in a unique off-white piece, and the Turkish modest swimwear brand Marina, wearing a blue printed burkini with a kimono. Rawdah Mohamed, on the other hand, walked for the Turkish label Imannoor, in a silk piece with contrasting colours.
The event also served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and inspiration, fostering connections that transcend borders and boundaries. It was successful in bringing the fashion industry from various parts of the world under one roof in picturesque Istanbul,
Amongst the lots, Piya, played a major role in fostering connections between artists and their designs, bringing the cultural and social ties between Oman and Turkey at the three-day fashion event. She was fully endorsed by the Turkish Ambassador in Oman, Muhammet Heksmoglu and Turkish Airlines supported and took care of her travel to Türkiye.
Piya, who has a high sense of modern trends laced with the traditions of Oman and India, is very particular about her costumes, which are designed by her trusted designer and a well-known name in the Middle East Faiza Al Balushi. Being a professional model and trainer, this was her second consecutive year attending the Modest Fashion Week, last year she attended the event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Also read: An Indian-origin model at Saudi fashion week!
Modest Fashion Weeks event series started in Istanbul in 2016 with a vision to “democratize the fashion industry”. Since 2016, MFW’s travelling concept has brought them to various destinations around the world including London, Dubai, Amsterdam, Jakarta, Riyadh, and Istanbul in different editions.
With its hybrid concept, Modest Fashion Weeks offers special runway experiences, networking and brand booths, and inspiring talk show sessions. Modest Fashion Weeks has positioned itself as a strong asset for long-term business relationships by being the bridge between leading industry players and like-minded professionals.
*Senior journalist
Thank you for the feature. Beautifully written and took me back to the fashion week days. Here’s hoping to be the voice for many more such initiatives in the future.
Imagine a writer on politics writing on fashion, imagine a writer on pot bellied netas writing on pretty damsels.
That’s real Skill only VR can manifest.
Kudos to your ballet on words.