A fashion walk for the elderly held in Chennai on World Heart Day (September 29) and National Elder’s Day stood true to the adage, ‘age is just a number’.
Hosted by Athulya, an assisted living and healthcare service provider for senior citizens in Arumbakkam, the ramp walk featured older fashionistas, showing off their outfits and grooving to peppy dance numbers and a cheering audience.
The similing and waving participants brought a variety of characters to stage. On the red carpet first was Kannan, an 85-year-old businessman, who dressed as a teenage golf player sporting a pink shirt and cream pants. Swinging his golf stick, he walked throwing flirtatious winks.
“We have been practising and rehearsing for this event since a week,” he later said, “the process of choosing outfits, motivating each other and getting ready for the big day have all amounted to a very wholesome experience for me. The fashion parade has made me realise how energetic I still am.”
Following him was Queen Elizabeth herself. Sixty five-year-old Vasantha Lakshmi, with a soft spray of blush and perfectly winged eyes, made her way onto the red carpet in royal attire. “I haven’t done anything like this before so this was really special. I wish all of us, both the younger and older generation get to walk the ramp together,” she added.
Then came the explorer of Arabia, 74-year-old Liaquat Ali, in his white flowing dress and black sunglasses. He led the carpet to 97-year-old Lakshmi Ammal who came decked in a pink madisar with her neatly braided hair like a flowing white curtain decked in flowers. Her traditional bow and smile became an instant favourite to many who quoted her outfit the best.
Walking to the brisk tunes of music came 80-year-old Meenakshi dressed as a teacher with an umbrella that complimented her saree and a hibiscus flower on her head. “I was a teacher at Holy Angels in my early years. My teaching experience has been wonderful and my students come visit me at times and that makes this even more rewarding so I decided to dress up that way.”
“Combining World Heart Day and National Elder’s Day, we organised this ramp walk so they may feel inclusive and young at heart,” said CEO, Srinivas.
The wide choice of outfits had a theme behind it. “ ‘Turning to the Tunes, The Seniors Way’ is a theme we introduced because all the people who walked the ramp today had outfits that related to their profession and character. The teacher dressed up as a teacher, the singer was once a singer,” he added.
“I believe everyone did their best today but someone I really admire is the person who dressed up as an Arab. His vision isn’t fully functional but he still wanted to do it. He calculated the steps to his position with the help of his feet and had a guide along. This inspires me to always be young at heart, according to our theme,” he said.
Mementos were handed out to all the participants..
“This programme is all about how, if you are young at heart, you are still young. We aren’t ageing any younger so this initiative is a much needed reminder,”
