BHUBANESWAR: Internationally acclaimed Odia fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra is scheduled to deliver a TED talk at the upcoming Make in Odisha Conclave (MIO) 2018 here November 13.
The US-based fashion designer will speak on his personal journey from Rourkela to New York and his experience of starting a label and making a leading fashion brand out of it in the US. He will also speak about the megatrends in the economy of Odisha.
The talk will be followed by a fashion show wherein handloom work from Odisha will be showcased in draping of saris and local textile pieces.
Mohapatra has designed dresses for international celebrities including Frieda Pinto, Mary J Blige, Tina Fey, Celine Dion, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Glenn Close, Lupita Nyong’o, Emily Blunt and Taraji P. Henson. He has also designed wears for Michelle Obama several times. The most notable instance was during the US Presidential state visit to India.
Principal Secretary of the state department Sanjeev Chopra expressed his joy for having Mohapatra as the guest in the conclave. “We are elated to have Bibhu Mohapatra amongst us to share his experiences and inspire more such success stories from Odisha,” Chopra said.
Bibhu hails from steel city Rourkela. His appreciation for sumptuous Indian fabrics and vibrant colors began at an early age. He moved to the US in 1996 and after graduating from Utah State with a Masters’s Degree in Economics. He had earlier designed a collection of hand woven silks to help the traditional weavers in Odisha. In February 2019, he will launch his newest collection of fine jewelry.