Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 23:

The stage is all set for the first ever Lux Beauty Star Selection in Kathmandu with Nepal Lever Limited (NLL) and India Education Centre (IEC) gearing up to zero in on 10 beautiful, young girls from Kathmandu. Ten finalists will qualify to compete in the Lux Beauty Star Grand Finale to be held on May 22.

The initial selection of five finalists from Dharan and Pokhara has already been made. Today’s selection at the Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu from 9am will take the total number of finalists to 20. The top 10 contestants will qualify for the finals to be held from May12. They will stay at Hyatt regency, Kathmandu for 10 days and compete in various contests.

Shailaja Adhikari, managing director, IEC, says, “The main organiser of this mega event is Lux and IEC is supporting them.”

Shailaja says, “The finalists will be wearing the costumes designed by IEC.” Beyond that she refuses to divulge anything. “Let’s continue the suspense but it will be a totally different experience. We are going for total designer wear. I can say that it will be a fusion… but people will have to wait and watch!”

IEC imparts education on fashion designing, beauty and style. “IEC is an icon for fashion lovers and the first to introduce a course in fashion designing. When we started six years ago, there were a handful of boutiques but the people involved were not exactly designers. After IEC was established, a number of boutiques have come up and are run by professional designers — the ‘IECians’.”

The winner and first runner-up of the Lux Beauty Star Selection will win Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. The winners will have an opportunity to attend the ‘Lakme India Fashion Week 2005’.

According to Shailaja: “The Lakme Fashion Week’ is a huge event. Whoever wins will have a golden opportunity to be there. The two Lux Beauty Star titleholders will represent Nepal there.”