Kathmandu:

Nepal’s fashion industry has not made the strides that it is capable of. Experts believe the industry here can grow into something quite incredible as there are some of the most interesting faces to be found here. The only hitch is that these faces need to be launched in the international arena.

To help all aspiring models realise their true potential, a 10-day modelling workshop, the first of its kind in Nepal, that began on March 16 has been organised by the SK films, a private division of SK Group. The organisation has been involved in promoting Nepali models and the fashion industry.

An eminent fashion choreographer from India, Kaushik Ghosh, is here to train the models. To Ghosh goes the credit of grooming Sushmita Sen, Manpreet Brar, among many other famous personalities.

“Nepal is growing in fashion culture. A lot of designers and models have mushroomed here since I last came in 1994, and that is a really good sign. This can grow into something big if given a proper direction. And this is the very motive with which we have started the workshop. We want to get the best out of the models here,” said Ghosh, who is being assisted by Shreya Madan, top model from the Elite International Model Management, to make the workshop even more result-oriented.

He also believes the country needs just one Miss Universe or a Miss World to make a difference in the fashion industry here.

Though a huge crowd turned up to sign up for the workshop, only 25 persons were selected. And getting to learn how to look good must cost a bomb, one would think. “We are a charging minimal amount as this is the first time we are hosting such workshop. For Rs 3,000, we will be grooming the participants in all that they want and need to know about fashion and fashion industry,” said Vinod Kumar Dubey, managing director of SK Group.

“The quality of boys and girls here is fabulous, but they are not prepared to go out in the international market and walk the ramp. The workshop is targeted at bringing out the deep-seated talent, instiling high confidence, fashion knowledge and guiding potential talents of Nepal help realise their dreams,” Ghosh said.

And if one thought that after the workshop, it is all over, Ghosh begged to differ saying that he remains in touch with the persons he has trained all his life. He added he would launch the best among them in the international market.

And the rest of the participants need not despair too, because Ghosh said, “We will be organising one of the biggest fashion shows in Nepal in July, and we will launch all the models in that show with some of the who’s who of the fashion industry.”