ZIRO, 17 May: The Fashion & Design Council of Arunachal Pradesh (F&DCAP) conducted the first phase of auditions and registration for the ‘Apatani’s Next Top Model’ here in Lower Subansiri district on Sunday.
The community-based indigenous model event is being organised under the Apatani Fashion Week, and is connected to the larger vision of the Arunachal Fashion Week – The Artisans’ Movement.
The initiative is part of a long-term movement by the F&DCAP to build a professional, sustainable, and globally connected indigenous fashion ecosystem in Arunachal Pradesh by creating opportunities not only for designers and artisans, but also for aspiring models, photographers, stylists, makeup artists, content creators, and creative youths from every tribe and community of the state.
According to the organiser, Arunachal is rich in indigenous textiles, craftsmanship, weaving traditions, and cultural identity, with every community carrying its own unique artistic heritage. While artisans, weavers, and designers already exist across different tribes, the F&DCAP stated that there has long been a lack of organised professional platforms for indigenous youths interested in modelling and the fashion industry.
To address this gap, the council has introduced community-based fashion and model platforms, beginning with the Apatani community.
The upcoming Apatani Fashion Week will take place during the Dree Festival celebration from 1 to 6 July at Hija village, where local designers, weavers, artisans, and creative entrepreneurs will showcase indigenous fashion, textiles, handloom traditions, and handcrafted works.
As part of the event, Apatani’s Next Top Model will be conducted on 1 and 2 July alongside designer showcases and runway presentations. The exhibition, networking sessions, artisan interactions, cultural exchanges, and community fashion activities will be held from 3 to 6 July.
The organiser stated that the platform is directly connected to the larger vision of Arunachal’s Next Top Model, an indigenous modelling platform created by the F&DCAP under the Arunachal Fashion Week to professionally groom, mentor, and promote talents from all communities of Arunachal.
Under this structure, selected participants and title holders from different community-based model platforms, including Apatani’s Next Top Model, will eventually come together to represent their communities at Arunachal’s Next Top Model during the Arunachal Fashion Week.
The F&DCAP stated that the Apatani Fashion Week and the Apatani’s Next Top Model “mark the first phase of a larger statewide Community Fashion Week movement that will gradually expand to other tribes and communities of Arunachal Pradesh.”
The initiative includes multiple categories to encourage wider participation and representation, including Miss Apatani’s Next Top Model; Mr Apatani’s Next Top Model; inclusive category; and adaptive category.
The F&DCAP clarified that the initiative is not limited only to selecting winners. “Every registered participant automatically becomes part of the F&DCAP Creative & Models Network, through which aspiring youths will continue receiving opportunities related to fashion shows, castings, workshops, collaborations, mentorship, exhibitions, campaigns, portfolio development, and industry exposure,” it said.
Selected participants will also receive professional grooming, runway training, mentorship, and guidance from fashion professionals, designers, choreographers, and creative mentors from Arunachal, the Northeast India, and beyond.
According to the organiser, the movement is not only about fashion, but also about youth empowerment, creativity, identity, economic development, and community growth.
The organiser stated that the movement also aims to promote indigenous textiles, handloom traditions, cultural tourism, sustainable and ethical fashion, local entrepreneurship, and creative employment opportunities for youths across Arunachal.
The organiser also announced that the upcoming second phase of auditions will specifically focus on reaching out to youths from rehabilitation centres and vulnerable backgrounds, with the aim of using fashion, creativity, and mentorship as tools for confidence-building, healing, self-expression, and positive transformation.
Speaking on the initiative, founder and chairperson of Arunachal Fashion Week and Northeast India Fashion Week, Yana Ngoba Chakpu, stated: “If we truly want to build a proper fashion industry in Arunachal Pradesh, we must first create the ecosystem ourselves. Every community in Arunachal already has beautiful textiles, artisans, weavers, designers, and unique cultural identities. Now it is time to also create platforms for our youths who are passionate about modelling, fashion, creativity, and the creative industry.
“This movement is not only about fashion shows. It is about creating opportunities, representation, confidence, exposure, and long-term growth for indigenous creative youths of Arunachal Pradesh,” she said.
She further added: “We also want to reach youths who may be struggling in life, including those in rehabilitation centres. Many of them are creative and talented but lack direction and opportunities. Through this movement, we want to encourage them to believe in themselves and become part of something positive, creative, and meaningful.”
Arunachal Fashion Week chief operating officer Meena Noshi said:
“We want this platform to become a long-term movement where aspiring youths can professionally enter the fashion and creative industry. Even if participants are not selected as winners, they remain connected to the F&DCAP network and future opportunities. The vision is collective growth for the creative ecosystem of Arunachal Pradesh with a global outlook.”
The F&DCAP stated that the movement is envisioned as a long-term indigenous creative platform that will continue expanding across communities of Arunachal with a global vision rooted in local identity.
Registration for models, designers, artisans, and creative participants are currently ongoing.
