An Initiative by Smile Foundation to raise support for education of the girl child

Mumbai : Smile Foundation, a national level development organization, showcased the 5th edition of its charity fashion show ‘Ramp for Champs’ today at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai. With a special focus on education for the girl children, funds raised through Ramp for Champs will be utilized through Smile Foundation’s national programme named Mission Education. Ramp For Champs had a robust line-up of 45 participating achievers and personalities from all walks of life and 17 responsible brands who came together to celebrate the very best of fashion and creative talent.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Neeraj Agarwal, Executive Director, Corporate Communication, LIC India, said “Education is every individual’s birth right, more so for the girl child in India who is marginalized by all standards. In India most of the girls fail to enrol in school, and those that do are likely to drop out by the age of 12. The event promises well for the cause, and we are privileged to be associated with Smile Foundation.” The event started with a very special performance by singer Shweta Pandit who captivated the crowd with her melodious voice followed by a dance performance by Sandip Soparrkar who mesmerized the crowd with his electrifying moves.

IAM Foundation joined hands with this movement and Ms. Susmita Sen, Former Miss Universe and a renowned philanthropist came forward to support the cause and encouraged all the people to act and make a difference. Expressing her support to the cause, she said, “IAM Foundation is glad to be associated with Smile Foundation, having similar beliefs it was only a matter of time we came together. Girl education and Girl safety are the most prominent issues in India today and that is something we wanted to throw more light on so that more people become aware and work towards eradicating it.”

Star designers Archana Kochhar, Ken Ferns, Salim Asgarally ,Salima Lalani and Sonaakshi Raaj, extended their support to the cause by showcasing their special collections not with the models but with their muses who were their celebrity and high profile clients. The show was directed by ace choreographer Rashmi Virmani.

India based fashion designer Archana Kochhar has great fellowship for fashion and is feasting her clients through three operational prêt stores in Mumbai. Born in the fashion hub of India, Mumbai, Archana Kochhar has diverse proficiency for designing and creating excellent outfits. Her muses for the show had eminent personalities from all fields like acting, singing, chefs, working women to homemakers. Her power list consisted of Amrita Rao, Betty, Hanan Zafri, Chef Vikas Khanna, Monisha Jaisingh, Biba Gurha, Rashmi Ganatra, Sobha Lakhani, Anu Anju, Shweta Pandit and Amrita Arora.

Trained extensively at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and the University of California in Los Angeles, Salim Asgarally is one of India’s few formally trained fashion designers. Having trained in the west, his collections reflect an international spirit in style, silhouette and drape, while retaining an Indian sensibility of colour, texture and embellishment. His label is worn not only by fashionable women in India but across the globe. His muses were Aroona Bhatt, Gajara Kothari, Shristi Arya, Soni Razdan, Shaheen Bhatt and Veena Bakshi.

Salima Lalani is a Mumbai based fashion designer who started her career with her mother. She initially started her business in Lucknowi Kurtas. She also built her NRI clientele while living in Sydney and launched a store overseas called ‘De-Chic’. She currently operates out of her flagship store based in Mumbai. Her muses for Ramp For Champs were Sophie Premji, Vinisha Tulsiyana, VJ Andy, Sarita Madhavan, Dr. Mugdha Raut, Shama Sikander, Claudia Ciesla and Deepika Singh, who all were all smiles supporting the cause along with Salima.

Label Sonaakshi Raaj is synonymous with opulence, with an intention to create glamorous ensembles catering to women’s couture wear with a design philosophy that is distinctly feminine and refined. By combining tailoring with drapery, the garments are meticulously crafted to styles that are luxurious yet understated with strong emphasis on fabric, cut and colour. Her muses were the most beautiful women from the tinsel town like Amy Patel, Malvika Raaj, Soumya Tondon, Waluscha D’souza, Anita Raj, Krishika Lulla, Evelyn Sharma and Susmita Sen. All these famous women personalities extended their support to the cause and made many heads turn with their grace and poise.

The event was successfully supported by various partners. It was presented by LIC of India. Other valuable partners were IAM Foundation, Nerolac, Reliance Capital, Vatika Group, Indira Group of Institutes, Air France KLM, Amway, Jean Claude, Estrada, SoapBox, One Stop Makeover, Chandrakala Sanap, Telly Chakkar, ITC Grand Central, Dfashion.tv, Global Advertisers and Coca Cola. Chef Vikas Khanna was introduced as the Goodwill Ambassador for ‘Cook for a Smile’ – an upcoming initiative by Smile Foundation.

Towards a sustainable & inclusive economy

Addressing on the occasion, Mr. Vikram Singh Verma, Chief Operating Officer, Smile Foundation said, “Through Ramp of Champs we are aiming to bring trend-setters and celebrities together to bring some real and permanent change in the lives of the most deserving children. Education is the most effective tool that can help less privileged children come out of the vicious cycle of poverty and suffering, and transform into an empowered next generation.” He further added, “The privileged section of the society has to come forward and take proactive role in the process of development. We feel encouraged with the support and response towards the cause through Ramp For Champs in Mumbai and I thank all the responsible corporate, designers, celebrities and the guests who made this initiative a great success.”

About Ramp for Champs:

Ramp for Champs (RFC) is a charity fashion show from Smile Foundation. Ramp for Champs brings fashion designers, eminent public figures and corporate together to raise support for the cause of child education. Ramp for Champs Mumbai 2014 was the fifth edition, with the first one launched in Bangalore in 2011.

To know more about Ramp for Champs, Log onto- www.rampforchamps.com