Top designers, DU students to join Delhi govt’s upcoming khadi fashion show

The event will also see over 150 students from top Delhi colleges like Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College, Hindu College, GTB Khalsa College, Guru Gobind Singh College, and Pearl Academy curating exhibits and walking the ramp in handloom wear.

Organised to promote the use of khadi, as well as hand-spun and handwoven fabrics, the event will highlight the roots of traditional Indian textiles.

Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the event, named ‘Vastra Katha’, will be organised by the Delhi Khadi and Village Industries Board (DKVIB). “We are bringing in long-overdue reforms to make (DKVIB) sustainable by the end of this year and profitable by 2026. The government has already allocated Rs 50 crore for skilling and capacity-building in the handloom sector, and now we are complementing that with platforms like Vastra Katha to create means for livelihood and visibility for artisans,” said Sirsa.

The event will feature a 24-stall curated exhibition and a fashion ramp walk with a Vedic civilisation theme. The exhibition will showcase rare, Geographical Indication (GI) tagged textiles, handloom sarees, and fabrics from across India.

On how eco-friendly the handloom industry is, Sirsa said, “The fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming. On the other hand, handloom is eco-friendly, rooted in nature, made without natural products, and also supports rural livelihoods, especially for women. Handloom isn’t just heritage, it’s climate action with culture.”

The Delhi government plans to make the event an annual tradition, he added.