KATHMANDU, Sept 25: Amid music blaring through the speakers at Club Déjà Vu, Durbar Marg, 67 participants for ‘Republica My City Presents En Vogue Fashion Show’ were revealed on Saturday.

Under the choreography of Puran Joshi and DJ Redmus’s music, a total of 28 boys and 39 girls in three groups each took the center stage, all covering their faces with black caps. Each group presented a short dance performance before moving forward individually to reveal their faces to the camera.

The show started with a bang as Puran Joshi along with Suraj Pratap Singh and other former House of Fashion (HOF) contestants—Afisha Shrestha, Rubi Maharjan and Roshani Adhikari—put together a zumba performance just before the unmasking sequences.

Though the show started late, musical band Dynamics entertained the crowd with their live performance all the while, building hype for the main event. 

“We were quite excited for the event. Facing the camera and photographers made me feel like I was already a model. The whole experience was enriching and En Vogue is a great platform that will give us the necessary exposure and fame. After today, we will be working more on our walks and choreography for the grand finale,” shared Madan Shrestha, one of the participants, after the unmasking event concluded.

At the end of the unmasking sequence, commercial brand ambassadors for HOF and former HOF contestants Priyanka Rani Joshi and Lomash Dhamala entered the stage as show stoppers for girls and guys, respectively.

The aspiring models also joined the after party that was held at Déjà Vu itself.

All the participants had been training with HOF for the past four weeks, while after the unmasking event, they will undergo further training with HOF and work on their flaws for the grand finale. 

Samar Deep Pradhanang, one of the contestants, said, “Our training included different personality development workshops and presentations as well as confidence building counseling sessions. Apart from group counseling, we also had one-on-one counseling sessions with the mentors. The event was as grand as we had expected it to be and the media exposure was great. It was even better to see our family members supporting us.” 

“The training was helpful as we could build our confidence for today’s event. We were counseled on every aspect, from our walk to postures and the attitude we need to carry while walking. I believe our hard work has paid off. Now, the competition is tough and I really hope to win the title,” said Razi Shrestha, another participant.

Both new and experienced models had participated in the event. “The training gave us a chance to groom, while the other contestants also were a resource to learn from. Everybody here wants to be a top model and is competent, only those who can stand out will win the title,” said Albina Chhetri, another En Vogue participant.

The trainees started their journey from August 13 where they auditioned for the title at Ai-La Restaurant and Lounge in Kumaripati and were selected by a panel of judges.

Their three-month long journey will end on October 27 at En Vogue’s grand fashion show. Winner of the contest will get a year-long contract as the brand ambassador for HOF, informed HOF Event Director Sanjeeb Tuladhar.