FASHION WEEK RECAP
Seeing our clothing walk down an official runway during New York Fashion Week was emotional. I wasn't prepared for the round of applause at the end of the show. Deeply encouraging!
We heard some incredible feedback!
Body positivity. This meant a lot to hear it from other moms. They loved that their daughters saw a healthy perception of beauty. Meanwhile, a lot of runways continue to say thinner is better. Or perhaps you recall the Victoria's Secret fashion shows that sent another message. As a pre-pubescent girl seeing those shows, I assumed that I wasn't woman enough. This show went against the norms of the industry. Our message of "already beautiful in the body you're in” was more of a statement than the clothing itself.
The show was theatrical. We worked with a soundscape artist to tell a survivor's story. Hearing the voices of our seamstresses from Nepal weaved into the music itself was moving. The audience experienced the story behind the clothes.
Was it fruitful for Elegantees? This certainly upscaled our brand image. However, it did not have an immediate impact in hiring another daughter in Nepal. The waiting list for a job didn't budge.
I'm still glad we did it. We feel called to shine a light in New York and in the fashion industry. This was a great step. It was an invaluable joy to partner with IJM, and the dreams are getting bigger. To prevent the shingles making a comeback though, I know for next fashion week to delegate out way more.
What's next? I'm even more motivated about Nepal and India. I'd like to get as much sewing work their way as possible! Figuring out how to do that is still the part of this work that I love most.
