Disability is natural and one must stop believing that disabilities keep a person from achieving their dreams. Breaking the stereotypical fashion parades, for the first time in history, the Asian and European International Charity Fashion Show in Colombo turned the spotlight on differently abled global models with a view to encourage, motivate and push them forward in the society. The Chief Guest at the colourful first edition of Massira Inclusive was the General Manager, Kingsbury Hotel, Christine Chevalez and the Guest of Honour was Shiranthi Rajapaksa. The second edition of the Massira Inclusive will be held in India and the third will be held in France.
Massira Inclusive is conceptualised, coordinated, directed and produced Asian and European Fashion Show based in Paris, under the expertise of its founder and livewire Rex Christy Fernando and Nawal Benzaouia. They are reputed and hailed for their outstanding glamour shows in Paris for the past few years. Major globally renowned fashion world names in France and Sri Lanka joined hands in this unique mission.
Massira Inclusive is working with the Fashion Industry to adapt mainstream clothing lines for the differently-abled community. It lets the power of glamour and fashion to nurture an Inclusive society. It nurtures social integration through the collaboration with celebrities from various backgrounds in Sri Lanka and giving back positivity for the welfare of the differently abled community in Sri Lanka. It instills the spirit of sharing and caring in a multi-dimensional society and establishes lifelong bonds.
Young Voice had an interview with the Sri Lankan Massira Inclusive organiser, Rizwan Fa about his work and on organising this fashion show. Rizwan Fa is a Model, Actor and Dancer in Sri Lankan Showbiz Industry since 2005. “I organised the Massira show in Sri Lanka under the guidance of the fashion director and the President of Asian European fashion show Rex Christy Fernando, Vice President, Chandrarathne Sajani and Fashion Activist Nawal Benzaouia. I am very happy that I was able to organise this show for the disabled models. I like to revolutionlise the Sri Lankan fashion Industry. This is the first time in history that a fashion show was held for the disabled models. I have selected some disabled models from Sri Lanka to participate in the second edition of the Massira Inclusive which is to be held in India next year. The only disabled model who participated from Sri Lanka was Sameera Rajapaksha. This event was a huge success and I am really glad about it” Fa said.
“Fashion designers in all parts of the globe do not create attire only for the slim or bigger frames. Fashion belongs to people of all shapes and sizes including those with physical disabilities. This is the first fashion show in Sri Lanka that bought to the forefront a host of physically handicapped international models. With the second segment of this venture, we will be setting aside proceeds to uplift the social standards and lifestyles of the physically handicapped persons in Sri Lanka through a credible programme. Massira Inclusive believes and promotes the concept that this world belongs to all of us whether disabled or not,” says Rizwan Fa.
Fashion designers from France, Lebanon, India and Sri Lanka participated. This is the first French Sri Lankan fashion show in Colombo by the Asian and European Fashion Week. Gihan Ediriweera, Kosh Veneficae, Raffealla Fernando, Darshani Kodikara and Kushan Namal participated from Sri Lanka.
Designer Galina Couture and Hair Couture Fashion Designer, Murielle Kabile from France took part. Couture Designer, Ziad Nakad from Beyrouth Lebanon and two designers from India, Voga Atelier Designer, Surabhi Singh and Anjana Misra also participated to make this event a success.
It is no secret that beauty rules the roost in the colouful world of fashion and glamour. Several renowned global fashion designers are bringing fresh perspective to the fashion sphere by focusing on inclusive fashion showcasing collections of adoptive clothing for the differently abled models. It is for the first time in Sri Lanka that internationally renowned French Company handling glamour events is collaborated with the Sri Lankan counterparts to present a revolutionary fashion show where differently abled models wheeled through the ramp together with the abled ones. “Do not let the differently challenged blame fate for what they could not achieve owing to their disability instead let us give them a hand to obtain applause from hundreds of hands,” says Fa.
Rizwan Fa says that the Massira inclusive fashion show proves that even with disability, we can be a model and can run the fashion week. “This fashion show gives an opportunity to create awareness about the differently challenged people in society and afford an all-encompassing platform where the differently abled could also work with professional global and local models and designers to maintain highest International standards. Massira Inclusive lives not only with the fashion rules but also with the humanity rules. We choose to help people with disability in Sri Lanka and to challenge social misrepresentation. We decided to collect wheelchairs and bring them to Sri Lanka with the help of the Embassy of France,” he says with a smile.
The official Makeup team of Massira Inclusive fashion show, Nelum Perera from Sri Lanka Cheveux salon believes every human being is beautiful and handsome in their own way and a little bit of extra beautification can enhance the looks. “I am happy to join hands with the Massira Inclusive fashion show for the differently abled models,” she says. She is known for being an all-rounder makeup artist and hair stylist in Colombo. She has been in the salon and beauty industry for around nearly a decade, providing the best of services to every client through her classy ‘Cheveux Salon’ in the heart of Colombo where professionalism is highly considered. Nelum has appeared on many TV shows and has been a part of the judge panel for many beauty pageants.
“The founder of the Asian and European Fashion Show in Paris, Rex Fernando plays a major role in this event. He creates a door for the young and talented designers and models to showcase their talents among the world. The co- head of operations, Sajani Fernando bought the show together with love and her management skills; Nawal Benzaouia is famous for the organisation of the inclusive event. She is the first French woman who decided to include people with disability in her event. She believes that fashion and beauty can save the world because fashion is not only in the clothes but is also the expression of who you are. She was inspired to work with the disabled because of her sister, Salwa Benzaouia who is with Down syndrome,” Fa said.
Nawal Benzaouia’s Sister Salwa Benzaouia from France who was also a model at Massira says that difference is beauty with Down syndrome. “I am French and a Moroccan. “I was born in 1998 with an additional chromosome. My Down syndrome chose to pick a Leucemia along the way, but I was against it. Of course, my additional chromosome was more than enough. Thus, I won the battle against Leukemia but the rascal gifted me with a poisoned chalice, and I lost my hair. After this battle, my hair never grew back but this did not prevent me to fill my life with dreams. I am one of the biggest fashion addicts and when I am shopping with my sister or friends, everybody looks at me. It is not because I am beautiful and a young woman, but because I have no hair. People look at me with pity and even fear sometimes but I believe that disability is not something that prevents us from achieving our dreams,” Salwa says with courage.
The Most Famous Haut Couture Designers at Massira Inclusive fashion Show
International haut Culture fashion designers from USA Galina Couture
International haut Culture fashion designers from France Murielle Kabile
International haut Culture fashion designers from Sri Lanka Gihan Ediriweera
International haut Culture fashion designers from India Anjana Misra
International haut Culture fashion designers from India Surbhi Singh
International haut Culture fashion designers from Sri Lanka Kushan Namal
Sri Lankan Designer Darshani Kodikara
International haut Culture fashion designers from Dubai Niharika Momtaz
Beautician Shani Fernando
Beautician Dushmantha Kumara
Beautician Chami Habarakada
Beautician Sanju Wick
Official Makeup team Nelum Perera from Sri Lanka Cheveux salon
