Catwalk to bridge the Green Line

GREEK AND Turkish Cypriot models will join forces on the catwalk next week in a bi-communal fashion show – the first to be held on the island since 1974.

The Summer Fashion Show will be held in occupied Nicosia on Monday and will feature models from Greek Cypriot Model Agency, Regina, and the Turkish Cypriot Gunkut Model Agency, the largest in the north.

Constantinos Argyrou, a member of Regina’s management team, told the Cyprus Mail the show was the first of many bi-communal fashion events the two agencies hoped to hold this year.

“Regina made contact with the agency on the other side and it was our initiative to hold a fashion show as soon as possible,” he said. “We are planning a series of autumn winter fashion shows together – we plan to hold a fashion show in the free areas in Larnaca in September and a charity show also.

“This first show will be in an open-air beer garden and the female models – three Greek Cypriot girls and four Turkish Cypriot girls – will be showing off swimming gear, sports wear and evening gowns.

“There will also be some Turkish Cypriot men showcasing men’s wear.”

Argyrou said peace tokens would also be exchanged at the event.

“It’s the first time ever that we have had a bi-communal fashion show since 1974 and this event is for peace between the Greeks and Turks of Cyprus,” he said.

“Beauty and fashion have no border lines — we have a nation of beautiful people and we want to show this together.”

The fashion show will be held on Monday August 4 between 9-10pm in the Z1 Beer Garden in occupied Nicosia. Entrance is free.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.