Bangladesh Couture Week 2021

A weekend-long extravaganza that was the ultimate medley of song, celebration and fashion, the Bangladesh Couture Week 2021 championed the majesty of Bangladeshi silk in all its forms and glory. Taking place at Edge Gallery of Gulshan North Avenue, the fashion exhibit was a successful instalment and courtesy of the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh (FDCB) who pieced together the event for the sole purpose of bringing the regal sophistication of a mesh of silk to the fore.

The inauguration of the exhibit was carried out by chief guest Dr Dipu Moni, Minister of Education of Bangladesh. In her own words, "Handloom fabric such as silk, jamdani and muslin are the insignias of Bangladesh, it's what we are known for to the rest of the world. Our honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the greatest brand ambassador of the traditional clothes and fabrics of Bengal. I laud FDCB's attempt in reviving heritage fabrics through fantastic exhibits like this one which has been dedicated to silk and the government is also playing its part in preserving our traditional crafts and history."

Joining her as another esteemed guest at the exhibit was the Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito who remained much appreciative of Bangladesh's diverse culture and the FDCB's noble efforts.

At the heart of this exhibit that ran between 2nd to 4th December, 17 designers of the fashion council envisioned 17 different concepts and weaved stunning creations, any one of which can easily be housed in a museum. Afsana Ferdousi, for example, glamourized Bengali folk tales of Bon Bibi- the protector goddess of the Sundarbans and 'sheetal pati.' She does so by taking the blooms of Bangladesh's six seasons and expressing them in bold prints against subdued backgrounds that are anything but minimal. Make it all statement was her endgame, a sartorial ideology adopted by many of the other fashion designers as well.

Considering Farah Anjum Bari's creations, the designer is an inspired soul who pours her concept of creating oceanic ripples onto beds of organza. Sequins sown in waves give you the illusion of a warm summer day by the sea, standing by the shores, completely mesmerised by how the water catches the sunlight. Farah Anjum Bari's clothes are nostalgic, her designs the epitome of grace.

Shahrukh Amin, the debonair designer of the FDCB, was another designer to watch with his posies of flowers stitched strategically onto his masterpieces. Sarah Karim, with her poise and acumen takes the darkness of the timeless black and contrasts it with the pristineness of white to design fascinating cuts and clothes that are the sartorial equivalent of the boho diva.

Maheen Khan also shows us a few tricks from her sleeve in her works of art as she reimagines the traditional drape and cut of a Bengali's belle's ultimate garb, the sari. Khan deconstructs the humble blouse and incorporates cropped jackets to make it a two-step wear. She puts an interesting spin on her designs with symmetrical pleats and monochrome colours and drapes the folds of a sari in a much looser, almost hippie style.

More artistic designers who took part in the exhibit were Chandana Dewan, Faiza Ahmed, Shaibal Saha, Farzana Nova, Tasfia Ahmed, Sadia Rashid Chowdhury, Rifat Rahman, Rupo Shams, Rima Naaz, Lipi Khandker, Nawshin Khair and, finally, Emdad Hoque — all with their spectacular creations.

Bangladesh Couture Week 2021 also took the time to honour 11 celebrities for their charismatic personalities, dedication to style and for being true icons in their own ways. Bangladeshi actors Siam Ahmed and Jaya Ahsan and musician Xefer were some of the awardees.

Photo:Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh (FDCB)