On 20th March 2009, the Police in Trivandrum , detained a group of activists of All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) for attempting to disrupt a ‘fashion show’ . The ‘fashion show’ was held at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan ( Poet Vylopillil must have turned in his grave at least a hundred times at a very high RPM! ). The perpetrators of this assault were some of the students from Sree Chithira Thirunal College of Engineering. These self–appointed moral policemen claimed that all these fashion shows were an affront to the cultural ethos of Kerala. They didn’t say ‘India’, mark you! ; so much for the ‘cultural ethos’ business! The ire of those young people may be understandable unless you happen to be a ramp rider too…
And to some extent I tend to agree with these ‘policemen’ !.
Very often people organise a ‘fashion parade’ or a ‘fashion show’ or whatever they call these female ‘ramp-riding’ . However, the question that is disturbing many sane people is this. Just because they do it in far-off places like France and America should we Indians also follow suit and expose and exhibit our women for a few bucks more? These shows thrive here because , for one, they are considered ‘haute culture’ . And secondly , because people harbour in their heart of hearts the snobbish belief that holding such events will take them one step closer to being a notional part of the ‘International Circle’. Also there are a set of blokes ( and ‘blokies’, of course! ) who are willing to come from far and near to sit an ogle at the exposed ( mostly ) and unexposed parts of human anatomy in the name of fashion!
It reminds one of the ‘mattuchanda’ ( or caltle market ) regularly conducted in certain parts of Tamil Nadu where they bring and line up cattle from many villages to conduct trade. These are also paraded before prospective buyers. One of the differences between these two events may perhaps be that in the case of ‘mattu chanda’ the ‘oglers’ can also pry open and look into the mouths of their prospective ‘buys’ to gauge their age and health! … The other point of difference is that these girls are not for sale!
During a ‘show’ these ‘human cattle’ are made to strut up and down the ramp with a much practiced disdain and a bored look at the folks who sit at their feet with rapt attention. They then strike some gawd-awful funny poses , barbecue themselves a few times and walk back , dangling their rumps at the watcher folks! I wonder whether at all those oglers notice any of the the ‘fashion apparel’ hanging from their bony shoulders.. not that they wear much any way!
Switch on the ‘Fashion TV’ and you will understand what I am trying to say. Virtual skeletons that shame the “slumdogs” of Ethiopia, pathetically ricketty to the eye, anytime poised to unscramble themselves and pile up on the ramp … these are the images that flit past. Without exception, these ‘beauties’ all could disappoint the vultures in the African skies because they have only bare bones to offer to them should any of them happen to collapse in some African Desert! It is rumoured that , in the name of maintaining their ‘slim’ shapes these girls virtually live of thin air!
Like the foot-and-mouth desease, the fashion show virus has also penetrated the animal world … There was a news paper report that a fasion show was organised somewhat recently by a set of market savvy fellows who lined up a number of dressed-up cannine species to walk the ramp, in order to champion the cause of some animal food products. According to this report these canine recruits were also given some intensive training for the event before they were let loose……maybe to hold their bladders till the show was over ?
And the dresses these ‘show’ girls wear and display ? Oh, My! The less said the better. ( of course , there is always only ‘less’ of it to be said , anyway)…
These days any person who can hold a pair of scissors without dropping it can make a claim to be a ‘fashion’ designer! And in this world of ‘ high fashion’, plunging necklines are already on a suicidal dash downwards to meet the up with the rising hemlines head-on …And if that trend continues, not long from now the twain shall meet , I am sure, and then the designers can start advertising about these new ‘virtual dress designs’.
Some of these ‘fashions’ are also very difficult for the common man (read: not ‘affiliated’ to the ‘International Circle’ ) to stomach ..click here! >ramp-riders
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