New Delhi : Festival of Hope presented “Umrao Jaan to Jaanisaar” an exclusive viewing of celebrated couturiers Meera and Muzaffar Ali’s Spring Summer’16 collection. Festival of hope Founder Shalini Vig Wadhwa successfully organized Season 8. Festival of hope is an initiative that aims at creating awareness about Cancer and works towards generating funds to support Children suffering from different types of cancer, through various fashion and lifestyle events. Festival of Hope, Brand Ambassador Priyanka Khurana Goyal opened the show with a showcase of some dazzling couture creations. Mrs. Earth Priyanka Khurana Goyal and designer Meera and Muzaffar Ali along with their daughter Sama Ali, came forward to salute the spirit & courage of millions of people grappling with Cancer in a Cancer awareness show by Festival of Hope, in association with the mecca of luxury DLF Emporio. Renowned women and men from different walks of life also walked the ramp, to show their solidarity for the cause.

The evening showcased Kotwara’s Spring Summer’16 collection, which is a retrospective of Muzaffar Ali’s film directorial and fashion journey from Umrao jaan to Jaanisaar. The event was graced by Minu Bakshi, Vikram Baidyanath, Zainab Chauhan, Varun Chaudhary Sanjeev Bijli, Sima Puri, Ramola Bachan, Divya Gurwara, Meghna Valaya and many more.

A peak into Kotwara’s spring bride’s wardrobe showcased collection of coming together of pastel colors and exquisite hand embroidery from the heritage rich land of Awadh. Beautiful gararas, peshwas, shararas, lehangas and sarees, with intricate dabka, zardozi, badla and chikankari embroidery was witnessed on the ramp.

Having hosted 7 successful seasons of Festival of hope founder Shalini Vig Wadhwa said “Festival of Hope is an endeavor towards generating awareness about cancer and raising funds for underprivileged children fighting this disease. The foundation aims at working on all possible grounds and spread the message that there is Life even after Cancer, be aware and get treated on time.”

Supporting and promoting the cause Mrs. Earth 2016 Priyanka Khurana Goyal, Brand Ambassador 2016 for the Festival of hope said “I am privileged to be associated with Festival of Hope Season 8 to create awareness on cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. One should never doubt that a small group of people such as this can change the perception of this deadly disease among the wider world – in fact a small committed group has always been at the forefront of all big changes. It is an extremely commendable  ‘HOPE’ initiative that Mrs. Wadhwa has created because the only winning ingredient that a cancer warrior needs is HOPE – hope to live, hope to rediscover oneself, hope to enjoy every living moment, hope to get joy in small things!” Mrs. Earth 2016 Priyanka Khurana Goyal, also pledged to raise funds for the children as the Brand Ambassador of Festival of Hope for this year.

Talking about the event Meera and Muzaffar Ali said “Kotwara as a brand has always been cause driven. Be it our own initiative of Dwar Pe Rozi – Employment at Doorstep – a SKILLING initiative that MEERA and Muzaffar Ali started 25 years a back in 1990 in their ancestral village KOTWARA, with the aim to provide livelihood to rural folk at their doorstep, or supporting a fight for a disease, we at the House of Kotwara Feel immensely for it and will always support such causes.”

The event was also supported by Retree – Alvaro Group S.A and the fashion show was directed by Asha Kochhar & Vidyun Singh , Dr. Arshiya Sethi lent her voice to the cause and compared the show. Grooming of the participants is facilitated by Blossom Kochhar.