The viral fashion show by slum children that is wowing India

In a heartwarming display of creativity and talent, underprivileged school girls from Lucknow have turned themselves into local celebrities with their viral fashion show.

Inspiration from Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s Instagram Videos

The teenagers designed and tailored their own outfits and doubled up as models to showcase their creations. They chose accessories by watching fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s Instagram videos, which served as inspiration for their project.

A Campaign by Innovation for Change

The charity works with about 400 children from the city’s slums, providing them free food, education, and job skills. The video first appeared earlier this month on the Instagram page of Innovation for Change, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Lucknow.

Mehak Kannojia’s Account

Mehak Kannojia, one of the models in the video, told the BBC that she and her fellow students closely followed the sartorial choices of Bollywood actresses on Instagram and often duplicated some of their outfits for themselves. The girls stitched about a dozen outfits in three-four days and studied the models carefully in Sabyasachi videos and copied their moves.

Innovation for Change Addresses Concerns

The charity addressed the concern in a post on Instagram, stating that they had no intention to encourage child marriage. The girls featured in the shoot are fighting against such ideas and restrictions, and their aim is not to promote child marriage in any way.

A Dream Come True

For Mehak and her friends, the response has been totally unexpected. “It feels like a dream come true,” she says. Now, they have only one dream left – to meet Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

The Response

The viral video has brought enormous attention to the charity, with its school being visited by several TV channels, and some of the children invited to participate in shows on popular FM radio stations. Bollywood actress Tamannah Bhatia even visited them to accept a scarf from the children.

However, the shoot also received criticism, with some wondering if showing young girls dressed as brides could encourage child marriage in India.

A Project Inspired by Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s Heritage Bridal Collection

For their project, they chose wisely – a campaign by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, one of India’s top fashion designers who has dressed Bollywood celebrities, Hollywood actresses, and billionaires. The girls said they stitched about a dozen outfits in three-four days, inspired by the designer’s heritage bridal collection.

The response to the video has been overwhelming, with the charity and its school receiving enormous attention from TV channels, popular FM radio stations, and even a visit from Bollywood actress Tamannah Bhatia. However, the shoot also received criticism, with some wondering if showing young girls dressed as brides could encourage child marriage in India.

Innovation for Change’s Response

The charity addressed the concern in a post on Instagram, stating that their aim is not to promote child marriage and that the girls featured in the shoot are fighting against such ideas and restrictions.