Fashion BD

You know how they say “too much of something is not enough”? That pretty much describes me when it comes to bags. How can a girl have enough bags? They come in such a delicious wealth of colours, shapes, sizes, and patterns. You really can’t just have enough of them.
I’m a bag-a-holic, and have tried to grab something from all corners of the world to help me accessorize any outfit that I wear. Bags are not only trendy, they are ESSENTIAL. Where else would I keep my makeup, keys, phone, emergency snack, the odd kitchen sink….(well not really, but you get the idea)?
I’m personally a believer of the phrase “the bigger the better” in cases of bags. I’ve often heard people tell me that I could fit into the bags that I carry. But then again big bags don’t generally go with all outfits. You just need to know when you need to bring out that cute sized purse, or clutch bag to match with the pair of glamorous stilettos you’d want to wear in a formal evening.
Honestly, a good bag can make you feel like you’re a celebrity hitting the red carpet.

Its that time of the year again, when i can indulge in guilt free shopping sprees. Well me and eight zillion other people, seeing how crowded the shopping malls are these days. EID shopping is quickly becoming a fast way to a debt ridden October for me.



like shopping at my own pace looking through tons of things before finally settling on the ones i want. Crowded malls are therefore not my favourite place in the world. I decided to check out ETC Fashion Exclusives, a store that opened earlier this year. The store with its open walkways and contemporary layout seemed like the perfect place for me to shop without being trampled under a crowd of shoppers.

The store carries clothing lines from well-known Indian designers such as Ritu Kumar, Satyapaul, Rohit Bal, Anamika Khanna, Shobha De and Biba. Bangladeshi fashion is well represented by designers such as Shahrukh Amin, Humaira Khan, Sabina Panni, Tootli Rahman and many more. They also carry a line of high-end diamond jewellery by ‘Jagirdaar’ who claim to work with diamonds from conflict-free zones.

Since this is my first Eid since I started working, I was in a position to shell out big bucks for designer wear.I loved the collection of sarees in materials like chiffon,crepe,muslin and jamdani. I loved Tootli Rahman’s muslin sarees in hand painted floral motifs. The colours were so summery and the patterns reminded me of beautiful flowers of spring. Shahrukh Amin’s embroidered muslin sarees were absolutely fantastic. As usual I spent the longest time looking through Satyapaul’s sarees, I just love how chic they are. But sadly I was not looking to buy a saree, since I only wear them to weddings and very formal events. I was looking for a nice shalwar-qameez. I was looking for something different, I was tired of all the stores carrying the same designs. I bought a black and white printed crepe shalwaar-qameez from Humaira Khan’s collection. I loved the simplicity of the pattern and the fact that it was devoid of any embellishments. Overly embellished clothes are so passe.

As I was leaving the store with my nicely wrapped up Eid present to myself, I looked back at the hand-painted muslin sarees from Tootli Rahman and decided that I must get something from this collection. So I went to her house the next day where she was having an Eid sale and asked if I could have a qameez made in the same pattern as the saree from the store. To my delight, my wish was granted. I am expecting my custom made hand painted muslin qameez in a week.

My shopping spree is not over yet, I still have presents to buy for my parents and friends and cousins and a whole lot of other people. I have a list. I will get to it soon. I am just much better at shopping for things that would make really good presents for me rather than finding what I was looking for other people.

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrated it’s 50th anniversary last month with a three-day international business conference. DCCI organised a light and sound show along with a fashion show depicting the changes in couture and heritage of Dhaka city over 400 years at the historic Lalbagh fort. I attended the event anticipating a grandiose show. The Lalbagh fort looked amazing illuminated by lights everywhere.








The fashion show was started off by Tootli Rahman depicting the fashion during the Mughal era. The Mughal rule is considered a ‘golden age’ of textile crafts in the Sub-continent. To say that Tootli Rahman’s collection was a disappointment would be an understatement. Her clothes lacked the finesse, luxury and intricate detailing of the Mughal era. She failed to revive the vintage glamor of the Mughals and instead showcased badly tailored clothes that were mismatched.

Next was Kuhu Plamondon’s collection depicting fashion during the British Raj. Kuhu’s collection showcased the influence of British fashion on traditional Bengali clothing. Men wore jackets with dhoti pajama’s and carried top hats with their kurta’s. The use of lace, ruffles and pleats in sarees were evident of the influence of the dresses worn by the British women. Kuhu was able to reflect the colonial heritage of Dhaka fashion in her collection. I came away impressed.

Emdad Hoque’s collection illustrated the influence on fashion during the independence movement of India and the emancipation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. Models walked the ramp dressed in the colours of Bangladesh. Patriotic slogans in bangla were printed onto the clothes. Sarees in black and write paid tribute to the martyrs of the Balngladesh language movement. Emdad Hoque used traditional hand loom fabrics in cotton and khadi. His collection captured the essence of the revolutionary era. His collection of Jamdani sarees were also very nice, although the pairing of turbans with sarees was not very original (Bibi Russell had done that in the past) and seemed a little out of context to me.

The finale showcased Bibi Russells futuristic collection. Her collection contained beautiful Jamdani sarees and traditional hand loom fabrics in western silhouettes. Some of the clothes featured pathwork in various grameen checks. Models walked the ramp wearing fun accessories made from beads and dry flowers. Her eclectic designs were original and in true Bibi style- fabulous!

The photos were taken by a young dynamic photographer, my friend-Salman Saeed.