Western brides in white gowns clutching bouquets couldn’t quite create the same impact as the fire brigade red brides

Export of Nepali readymade garment (RMG) in September fell by 86 per cent, with the RMG export worth being $90,860.43. Garment Association Nepal (GAN) president Prashant Kumar Pokharel said the government should take steps for the revival of garment export. Pokharel said, “When Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala went to the US, American senators were positive about granting duty free access to Nepali RMG and talks were also held regarding a trade treaty between the two countries.”According to GAN, in August the total RMG export plunged by 81 per cent and Nepali RMG exported was worth $1,45,000 then. Pokharel said the trade agreement can revive the export of RMG. During the visit of the United States Trade Representatives to Nepal a trade agreement draft proposal was prepared to facilitate duty free access of Nepali RMG to the US. However, as there no initiatives were taken by the government till date there is no progress on this front. With 70 per cent of Nepali RMG being exported to India, the Indian market has evolved as a fertile market but due to additional charges exporters are facing hard times. Pokharel said that there is an additional duty charge of four per cent on garments exported to India which affects the export volume. “The Counter Valuing Duty (CVD) of four per cent is rational but we are having great problem due to additional duty charge on maximum retail price (MRP),” he added.TGIF Nepal Fashion Week 2009 was awash with glitz and glitter as the five day fashion extravaganza came to a grand finale on Friday evening at the Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu. With a riot of sparkling colours and dazzling embellishments, the concluding day pulled out all the stops in whipping up a frenzy with the sub-continent’s ethnic exuberance. It was Incredible India on the catwalk, like Nepal had perhaps never witnessed before, as the ramp queens pirouetted in spectacular sarees, salwars and lehenga cholis to vitually knock the audience dead. Unmistakable strains of Indian music filled the air as the devastating models draped in everything from chiffon to linen and cotton to lycra sizzled on the runway looking like they’d just stepped off the sets of a Bollywood blockbuster. Shimmering visions of the Bharatiya Nari in all her resplendent glory bewitched all and sundry, even though many of those visions came with the classic Nepali features and in one case, even Caucasian. The auditorium at the Yak and Yeti was packed to capacity with standing room only as the most high profile fashion event in the country reached a deafening crescendo.Indian ethnic wear is never complete without the celebrated bridal collection, and kickstarting the evening was Manju Banjara’s depictions of the Indian bride. Blood red hues to complement the flames of the wedding fire glided down the runway in breathtaking variations whether in sarees or lehengas with intricate metallic embellishments to do any Mughal artisan proud.In comparison, the western bridal collection from the same designer that followed failed to come anywhere close to its predecessor. Western brides in white gowns clutching bouquets couldn’t quite create the same impact as the fire brigade red brides.The glistening Indian collections that dominated the evening’s proceedings, were interspersed with western wear including Uttam Banepali’s semi formals and Pratigya Thapa’s Camden collection. Star names to grace the final day were Nepal’s object of lust actress Rekha Thapa who scorched the ramp with fellow actress Namrata Shrestha. The first ever Miss Nepal Ruby Rana Shah who was crowned back in 1994 accompanied by her husband Prajay Vikram Shah and actress Arunima Lamsal added extra spark to the already starry evening. However the star attraction of the day was undoubtedly Femina Miss India 2008 Simran Kaur who demonstrated to all in attendance why her poise and luminescence made her the toast of a nation of 2 billion people last year.