Top News

Gulmarg Fashion Show Row: The designers, Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, who organised the controversial fashion show in Gulmarg which came under fire for featuring “obscene" outfits during the holy month of Ramadan and led to an uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, apologised for the event and said that they did not have any desire to offend any religious sentiments.

Taking to X on Sunday, the designer duo said, “We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & après-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments."

“Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologise for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community. We remain committed to being more mindful and respectful," they added.

The fashion show was called “obscene" by many leaders and led to protests in the assembly. Amid the uproar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah denied giving permission for the event in any month of the year.

“We have already ordered an inquiry into it, but preliminary facts revealed that it was a private four-day event organised by a private party in a private hotel. The fashion show was held on December 7, and certain things have come to the fore, which hurt the sentiments of the people who are not wrong," said the chief minister.

Who Are Shivan & Narresh – The Face Behind The Controversial Show?

Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja are well-established fashion designers who run the fashion label “Shivan & Narresh".

Shivan Bhatiya completed his Bachelor of Design degree from NIFT, Delhi and earned a master’s degree from Istituto Europeo di Design.

Co-founder Narresh Kukreja completed his schooling at Modern School. He is also a graduate of NIFT, Delhi and earned a Master in Luxury and Marketing degree from Istituto Europeo di Design.

As per their Instagram profiles, the collection of the ‘Shivan & Narresh’ fashion label is available in Kalaghoda in Mumbai, Embassy Chamber -5 in Bengaluru, DLF Emporio in New Delhi and Banjara Hills in Hyderabad.

They have nearly 2.29 lakh followers on their Instagram account. The fashion label was launched in 2010 with Lakme Fashion Wee, and the brand specialises in beach, resort, cruise, swimwear, accessories and holiday wear.

According to LinkedIn, Shivan & Narresh is the first luxury holiday brand in India, which was launched in Cannes. It also claims to be the first brand which got the opportunity to showcase at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012 in Miami and take part in the Swimwear Association of Florida’s SwimShow 2012.

The brand has also been worn by various Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Dita Von Teese, Nicki Minaj, Padma Lakshmi, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Sonam Kapoor, and Shilpa Shetty.

All About The Fashion Show Which Triggered Controversy

On March 7, Shivan & Narresh organised a fashion show at the renowned ski resort of Gulmarg to mark the 15th anniversary of the brand in the fashion industry.

The show was held under the open sky and presented their designer skiwear range. The ensemble collection included art prints from the archives of the brand, which included statement ski separates, winter layers, sculptural ski suits and uid après-ski dresses for women and men.

After the controversy, Elle India removed the reel of the fashion show which was earlier uploaded on Instagram.