Today was the second and final day of the FDCB Bangladesh Fashion Week 2023 at Aloki Convention Center at Tejgaon. This event was organized by the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh and powered by Apex and driven by Hyundai Bangladesh. Community Bank is the banking partner of the event.
The most prestigious fashion show of the year is supported by Buy Here Now, MTB, Streax, Maya, Ujjwala Care, and Natura Care Limited. Shera Digital 360 is the organizing partner of the event.
Hotel The Way Dhaka is the hospitality partner and Aloki is the venue partner of the event and ICE Today is the magazine partner.
The Fashion Designer’s Council of Bangladesh (FDCB) is a not-for-profit organization that escalates sustainable fashion and artisanal craftsmanship to revive Bangladeshi heritage. Headed by esteemed fashion designer, Maheen Khan, the organization is a platform for talented designers across the fashion spectrum in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Fashion Week 2023 showcased spectacular collections from 18 FDCB Members and exciting creations featuring 6 visiting designers from India. The show will bring together fashion designers, retailers and luxury stakeholders on one platform. Sustainability and slow fashion are at the heart of this fashion event.
With an aim to raise awareness about environmental sustainability, this year’s theme for Bangladesh Fashion Week 2023 is “Wear clothes that tell a real story of people and the planet.”
The show began at 7.15 pm with paying respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation and the greatest Bangali of all time since today is his 103rd birth anniversary.
After that Apex, the power partner of the event represented their dazzling queue. They launched their newest footwear collection for Eid for men, women and kids. With other 2000 design variations, the collection wants to ensure both style and comfort. For the men’s collection, loafers, sneakers, shoes and sandals were featured.
The second queue was presented by the Haircare brand Streax. A brand synonymous with style and glamour, Streax has revolutionized the way of hair colouring, moving it from a space of ‘covering greys’ to one of “self-expression through colours.”
After these two maiden queues, the show witnessed an insightful speech delivered by Maheen Khan, the president of FDCB. Maheen Khan briefed the audience about the journey of FDCB and how it has been playing a pivotal role in preserving the local heritage with the artisanal community.
After that, the main show started showcasing the collections made by designers from FDCB and India.
The first collection was by Maheen Khan. The collection engages with artisans in interactive creative ways to enhance the artist in them, creating pieces of work that have been seen on the cusp of design, craft and art. Revisiting and rethinking traditional crafts and handcraftsmanship, using natural materials and fabrics working with traditional craftsmen from different areas in Bangladesh were her focus across lines.
The next queue represented Sharukh Amin. His collection celebrated the timelessness of sarees. Delicate muslin and crepe silk materials, the contrasting black and white sarees evoke Enigmatic yet pure, melodrama paired with simplicity. The collection elevates and innovates by introducing touches of colour – pink, blue, and green, through intricate applique.
After that, Paromita Banerjee from Kolkata presented her collection titled SAAJ 2.0, featuring the journey of the Bindi or Dot, as it travels in the form of woven jamdani across the collection. It is an ode to the colour of sindoor laal, with significant use of the Shaada Laal paar, the auspicious colour of festivities during Durga Pujo in Kolkata. Handwoven in weaver clusters across India, the fabrics are woven matka, linens and a lot of gold.
The next queue showcased the collection of Tenzing Chakma featuring the colours of spring. The biodiversity of the country has always encouraged him to explore the richness of colour, beauty and fragrance. His entire collection is a resemblance of an ode to all those.
Rukhsana Esrar Runi was the fifth designer of the night. Her collection stood as a reminder of the purity and elegance of untouched nature. Being inspired by the ethereal beauty of the Cox’s Bazar beach, she incorporated the sea foam in her thread work, the blazing sun in hand-painted pieces and neutral and tans in her colour palette.
After that Madhuree Sanchita Smrity showcased her collection “the scent of spring”. The collection encapsulated the freshness of Spring when every new blossom enchants us with its fragrances. A similar kind of freshness was exhibited in her collection.
After that another creative designer from Mizoram, Charlee Mathlena showcased his collection. the collection is deeply rooted in culture and consciousness for protecting the fragile ecosystem. The appeal of the designs is in the motifs and the skill of weavers in the mystical hills of Mizoram. Simple and easy silhouettes with a strong message of responsible fashion. Woven with heart in cotton by Mizo women to celebrate the spirit of Oneness.
Lipi Khandker’s collection “Beige mood” focused on the colour and structure of the traditional fabric for inspiration. For these collections, she has created fabrics and asymmetric silhouettes that at once feel both familiar and new, pretty and off. she has kept our own silk intact in favour of using running stitches and Geomagnetic motifs from needlework and prints. The signature motifs of geometric pattern complemented by some far contrast hand applique, needlework have come alive in turquoise green, against the elegant beige.
Kamrul Hasan Riyad presented his collection “Beauty of Gravity”. He used symbols of nature like flowers, birds and the moon and especially the rose as the queen Flower to evoke feelings of fascination and compassion. His vision is realized through a combination of hand stitching and native textiles, which gives my pieces an air of authenticity and craftsmanship. His collection serves as a symbol of hope, reminding us to look to the past to save the future and promote responsibility and awareness of our planet by using sustainable materials and techniques.
The next designer was Faiza Ahmed, who titled her collection, “Deshbhakti”, remembering the 50 years of our independence. In designing this year’s theme, she used a few words from Tagore’s song, “O Amar Desher Mati” as calligraphic motives on local fabrics hand dyed in shades of rustic earthy tones of soil. The superficialness aspect is meant to resemble the shallowness of our spirit and patriotism for Bangladesh.
Soumitra Mondal was the last Indian designer of the night. Titled “Musafir” a modern-day traveller who loves the contemporary look yet keeps her history intact and lives her life in a very present way. He took straight lines and crossing as the main design elements. The colours were very much inspired by the surrounding landscape – a wide range of greens, browns, naturals and sky. The sari and fabrics are specially developed in handloom with fine linen yarn.
Ace designer Shaibal Saha from Bangladesh was the last designer of the night. His collection “Back to Mother Nature” celebrates the triumph of nature over all things. In a post-pandemic world, we realized the importance of the natural flow of living. With the use of handwoven khadi using natural dyes like Shibori, Khoyer and Horitoki, the designer has ensembled menswear which captures the essence of a calm and peaceful life on this planet. This is an ode to both nature and the artisans who are so close to their roots.
After the finale, Shaibal Saha, the general secretary of FDCB gave his vote of thanks. He expressed his gratitude to all the sponsors, partners, models, choreographer Subha Kenworthy and model coordinator Isha and her team and above all, the artisans and creative community of Bangladesh.