News and Press

From Facebook To Mela Catwalk

27 May 2008

Organisers of Edinburgh’s Mela are looking for models to be part of the multicultural festival’s popular fashion parade - and they’re using Facebook to do it.

The Mela fashion parade has become a programme staple, and its colourful celebration of Asian influence has always included opportunities for local people to try out their modelling skills. This year’s auditions take place in June and the call for models went out on the Mela’s own Facebook page.

Edinburgh Mela director, Liam Sinclair, said the Facebook approach had already proved very popular. “The Mela’s Facebook page captures the fun and colour associated with the festival. The Mela was about social networking long before Facebook existed so the two combine very well.”

The fashion show will be the inspiration of Divya Sehgal, whose previous parades have successfully mixed fashion with Bollywood dancing. Through Facebook, Divya is collating information about interested would-be models as she plans the final look for her parade.
This year’s Mela Festival moves to a new venue in Leith and has been extended across a week, from August 25 to 31. It adds another dimension to Edinburgh’s festival season with its focus on multicultural talents within Scotland and beyond. This year’s programme, to be launched at the end of June, includes drama, dance, music, workshops and more.

ENDS
www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk
For more information contact Barbara Fraser or Shaheena Abbas on 0131 556 0770, barbara.fraser@pagodapr.com, Shaheena.abbas@pagodapr.com

Notes to editors
1. The Edinburgh Mela Festival was founded in 1995 by members of the city’s minority ethnic communities, and one of its key objectives was to reflect and celebrate Scotland’s cultural diversity.