The International Engineering and Technological University (METU) held a major international event titled “Alla Ilchun – The Kazakh Girl on the Dior Runway and the Global Power of Multilingual Speech Culture.” The event honored a remarkable woman who left an enduring mark on the history of world fashion.
Alla Ilchun, who has Kazakh roots, is recognized as one of the first Asian high-fashion models and became a true muse of Christian Dior. Her graceful presence, refined beauty and extraordinary life formed an iconic image that became part of France’s cultural heritage and a symbol of the harmony between East and West.
A special part of the program highlighted how Alla Ilchun’s name was returned to the cultural and historical discourse. Students presented the work of Berlin Irishev — a well-known TV presenter, researcher, documentary filmmaker and writer whose efforts brought the Kazakh Dior model back to global attention.
Living in Paris for more than ten years, Irishev could not attend the event in person, yet his books, films and research formed the methodological foundation of the program. He has repeatedly said that discovering Alla Ilchun’s story was a “true cultural revelation,” dedicating years to searching archives, interviewing relatives and reconstructing the details of her biography.
In his works Irishev described Alla Ilchun as
“a woman who transformed the visual language of the Dior runway by bringing Eastern poetics and the line of Kazakh beauty — something Europe had never seen before.”
He emphasized that her name had become a “forgotten symbol” that needed to be returned to Kazakhstan and presented to the world as part of its national cultural heritage. His findings included rare photographs, documents and eyewitness accounts, enabling for the first time a complete reconstruction of her biography and confirming her Kazakh origins.
Since Alla Ilchun’s life is closely connected with France, the event was attended by distinguished guests representing French diplomacy, culture and education:
— Mr. François Monéger, Executive Director of Alliance Française d’Almaty; Coordinator of the Central Asia AF network; Representative of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs;
— Ms. Agnès Bousset, French Director of the Sorbonne–Kazakhstan Institute, Attaché for International Relations at the Embassy of France;
— Dr. Gulnara Aitzhanova, Associate Professor at al-Farabi KazNU, academician and prominent Francophone educator;
— Prof. Almash Seidikenova, University of Poitiers (France), who joined online.
Guests emphasized that Alla Ilchun is an important figure in French fashion history and a unique cultural bridge between Kazakhstan and France.
Mr. Monéger noted that she was
“one of the women of the East who changed Europe’s perception of beauty,”
and that her influence on Dior’s aesthetics remains visible today.
Ms. Bousset stressed that Alla Ilchun’s story deserves “a distinct chapter in the history of French fashion,” as such personalities enrich cultural dialogue and deepen mutual understanding between nations.
The event was conducted in Kazakh, Russian, English, French and Arabic, with Chinese and Korean also heard on stage. METU students performed confidently in multiple languages, demonstrating a high level of intercultural competence.
Mr. Monéger remarked that such linguistic agility reflects students’ broad worldview and international potential.
Ms. Bousset described METU’s multilingual environment as
“a living bridge between Kazakhstan and France,”
noting that such young people can continue Alla Ilchun’s cultural mission in the 21st century.
The French delegation confirmed that the Embassy of France is ready to actively support talented and multilingual METU students, opening opportunities for academic programs, cultural initiatives and international exchanges.
The event was not only a tribute to Alla Ilchun but also a significant step toward strengthening international cooperation.
METU reaffirmed its role as an institution fostering a multicultural, open and multilingual environment where global heritage becomes part of education.
Alla Ilchun is a symbol of how one destiny can unite continents.
And METU is the place where such stories find a new beginning.
