The Nepal Academy Hall, Kamaladi came alive with creativity, craftsmanship, and star power as ‘Dress To Impress’ Season 12, organized by the IIFT School of Fashion and Interior Designing, was successfully held with grandeur. Powered by the Sherpa Group, the fashion show cum competition featured the participation of over 100 fashion designing students, offering a dynamic platform for emerging designers to present and walk the runway wearing garments they individually designed and created.
The show was structured around concept-based segments, where each participating designer presented a single garment aligned with the given theme, demonstrating originality, craftsmanship, and conceptual clarity.
In the Denim Feature segment, Rejina Shrestha emerged as the winner. This segment featured denim garments that highlighted the fabric’s timeless adaptability, durability, individuality, and sustainable potential. The Glam in Patch segment was won by Pratik Gurung, This segment featured the garments that reimagined patchwork through a glamorous lens, skillfully blending upcycling with luxury elements such as sequins, metallic accents, embroidery, and rich textures.
In Exotic Fauna, Imayung Rai claimed the top position. This segment featured bold, animal-inspired garments that drew from wildlife and nature, featuring strong silhouettes, organic textures, and earthy tones that expressed primal elegance and confidence.
The Echoes of Time segment saw Selina Shahi declared the winner. The segment showcased the garments that bridged past, present, and future through classic silhouettes, aged textures, and handcrafted details, blending heritage influences with contemporary design sensibilities.
Beyond the runway segments, IIFT encouraged digital audience engagement through likes, sharing, and online voting. Nilam Das was awarded the IIFT Likes Legend Champion title, Ayusha Shrestha won the IIFT Shared Storm Champion, and Pramila Shrestha received the IIFT Public Choice Award, reinforcing the inclusive spirit of the competition by recognizing participation across multiple platforms.
The event was choreographed and hosted by fashion choreographer and media personality Rojin Shakya, whose professional direction ensured a smooth and engaging flow throughout the show. Adding glamour to the evening were special stage appearances by Actor Niti Shah and national beauty titleholders Miss Nepal World 2025 Luna Luitel, Miss Nepal Cosmo 2025 Deepshikha Nepal, Miss Nepal Earth 2025 Sony Ghale, and Miss Nepal International 2025 Urusha Bhandari, whose presence inspired the young designers and elevated the stature of the event.
The competition was evaluated by a distinguished jury panel comprising leading fashion designers Mukta Shrestha, Manish Rai, Mahesh Maharjan, Ankit Maity, Anchu Pandey, and Nisha Shrestha. The event was further honored by the presence of the Chief Guest, the Past President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
