Fashion shows are always only about beautiful faces and bodies and this one, titled “Canvas of Nature”, is no different. To be held to mark World Vitiligo Day at PYC Deccan Gymkhana, Bhandarkar Road on June 21, the show will feature 23 people with vitiligo, a condition in which people lose pigmentation on their skin. Among the famous people with vitiligo are Vogue model Winnie Harlow and Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party.
“People whose looks are disturbed because of the white patches do not get jobs of actors, front desk and wherever appearance is important. To face society with such looks takes a lot of courage,” says Dr. Maya Tulpule, a general surgeon who has been working to bring people affected by vitiligo into the mainstream of society for more than 20 years.
“People with vitiligo don’t like to go to birthdays or marriages because of the stigma. They shy away from going to any social events, public places or a new environment. It is the mind of society that is an obstacle for them.
The fashion show is a way to spread awareness and encourage society, the majority who do not suffer from this condition, to see things differently,” says Tulpule, who has been suffering from vitiligo since childhood and has experienced its psychological impact of depression and anxiety. The models for the show have come from the community that Tulpule has been working with. The fashion show involves a range of experts.
Grooming and styling expert Chaitanya Gokhale is t.
