Fashion expert Prasad Bidappa, a native of Kodagu who has earned national and international recognition in the Indian fashion industry, has been selected for the prestigious Kannada Rajyotsava Award.
Bidappa is a fashion stylist, choreographer and image consultant who has contributed to the development of India’s fashion industry over more than four decades. Before entering the fashion world, he was involved in English-language theatre. He later established a distinct reputation through fashion-show design and management and by training models.
He has organised, hosted and choreographed some of India’s prominent fashion shows and played key roles in events including Rajasthan Heritage Week, the Kingfisher Fashion Awards and the India Men’s Fashion Awards. He has also served on the jury of Lakmé Fashion Week. Bidappa is known for identifying, training and mentoring emerging models. Among those he encouraged early in their careers are Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Anushka Sharma and Dino Morea, who later established themselves in the fashion and film industries.
Through initiatives such as Karnataka Fashion Week, the Prasad Bidappa Mega Model Hunt and Colombo Fashion Week, he has helped create platforms for emerging talent. He has also supported the preservation and promotion of traditional Indian textiles, handlooms and indigenous clothing. In 1998, he appeared on the cover of India Today as one of India’s influential style entrepreneurs. In 2010, he was named among Bengaluru’s 25 most influential people.
The award is a source of pride for Kodagu, recognising Bidappa’s contribution to fashion and his efforts to mentor the next generation of talent.
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