October 7th «Action» - «Fellow Citizens» Discussion club gathering held

On October 7th a gathering was held by the “Action” – “Fellow Citizens” Discussion Club. The creator of “Chapan HM” brand, designer Jumagul Sarieva was the speaker. The meeting was organized for the “Fashion Artist 2015” show which will take place November 21-22 at the “Tash-Rabat” mall.

 

Jumagul’s inspiration for creating her brand and returning to a focus on Kyrgyz national clothing came from her mother’s chapan (traditional Kyrgyz cloak) and listening to her grandparents talk about wearing such clothing. Yet, Jumagul has been steeped in Kyrgyz culture since the time she was in the cradle, listening to her mother’s wonderful words about the chapan. Fond memories and good feelings about our traditional nomadic clothing are close to her heart. Our clothing is an original creation; it was sewn to meet the exact needs of nomads and soldiers while remaining comfortable and funtional and meeting all the requirements for the lives of our forefathers. It is convenient for going to the summer pasture, convenient for daily life, warm in winter, cool in summer, doesn’t wrinkle when stored, comfortable for both men and women with children and absolutely necessary for providing convenience. Jumagul has always kept her grandparents’ words about the uses of the cloak and how the chapan saved her grandfather on his journey to Siberia because her grandmother hid money among the various folds in the cloak. Jumagul calls to mind this story as she designs.

 

These days the old method of making clothing is being forgotten. Therefore, Jumagul is restoring traditional clothing, making it desirable for today’s use all while preserving its original function. She has made it her calling to ensure the chapan lives on to the next generation and most importantly, to revive the creation of chapans so that every Kyrgyz citizen of our country is the owner of their own beautiful chapan. The philosophy of Kyrgyz clothing is extensive—every item in one’s wardrobe has its own meaning, its own code. Besides her primary duty of making chapans, Jumagul has begun the work of increasing the prominence of this clothing. Gathering influence from showcases, artisan markets, travels to numerous countries, and fashion shows, Jumagul has expertise about her field and the entire world of Kyrgyz traditional chapan clothing. At Russia’s top Fashion Week, Vyacheslav Zaitsev praised and expressed great satisfaction for the high quality of Jumagul’s chapans, which displayed a very high quality compared to other clothing in the collection. The quality of her products was also recognized by UNESCO when she was honored with the UNESCO seal of top quality.

 

At the awards ceremony Jumagul had these words: “In the passing of people’s lives, in this season where we’ve been striving to rebuild the life of our nation, it is my deep purpose to dress people in chapans so that we never forget our own history, traditions and way of life. The spirit of Kyrgyzstan is given through clothing!”

 

Jumagul – we all wish you the best success in your future endeavors and that all of your goals come to fruition.

 

To all who attended the gathering, thank you. May you find happiness. It was very interesting for all, and much was learned, I think.

 

Bakyt Degenbaev