ARKA Fashion Week 2023: Celebrating the vibrant spirit of Bangladeshi fashion

 

ARKA Fashion Week 2023: Celebrating the vibrant spirit of Bangladeshi fashion

Fashion in Bangladesh reflects culture, art, and self-expression. The ARKA Fashion Week 2023 is currently attracting fashion enthusiasts and industry insiders. This three-day event is scheduled from October 26 to 28 at the Aloki Convention Center on 211 Tejgaon Link Road, running from 11 AM to 10 PM. Founded by Asad Sattar, the ARKA Fashion Week aims to provide fair chances to local fashion designers and enhance Bangladesh's fashion sector by endorsing local brands and supporting cultural exports.

Asad states that young designers in our country should have a platform to display their creations and compete with major retailers. The ARKA Fashion Week aims to provide a stage for young entrepreneurs and designers to introduce innovative ideas and promote their brands, not only in Bangladesh but also in the global market. The event features a marketplace exhibiting sustainable fashion items, a food area, and a design lab where participants can personalize products using various methods. Additionally, there will be music concerts to create a lively atmosphere for visitors, as well as an exhibition organized by Shehzad Chowdhury and Adrita Mahin Khan on the theme "analog to digital."

An exclusive two-day fashion show that is invite-only will showcase young designers and talent from design schools. The event will include a total of eight shows on October 27 and 28. Additionally, designers with Bangladeshi heritage residing in the US or Europe will participate, along with 15 design students from design institutions walking the runway.

Aumia Khundkar, Managing Editor of Ice Today, mentions that ARKA Fashion Week showcases emerging designers with unique energy and vision. This event features everyday wear and highlights contemporary fashion, aiming to elevate Bangladesh from garment exporting to fashion exporting. ARKA Fashion Week provides a platform for young designers to establish themselves in the industry.

A mother and daughter, Rabeya Begum and Israt Nahar, are participating in the event with their clothing brand, Vintage All The Way. Israt explains that the clothes they offer are vintage and recycled, sourced from items previously used, discarded, or rejected by garment factories. They upcycle these pieces, giving them new life. Another local brand at the event is Aranya Crafts, known for using natural ingredients in their products. They have brought a beautifully hand-stitched kantha sari to showcase. Sumaiya Hossain Seoul, Assistant Manager at Aranya Crafts, mentions that they prioritize natural dyes over chemical colors. Their specialty lies in handcrafted products inspired by nature. ARKA Fashion Week also features a food zone, presenting a diverse range of cuisines and dishes for attendees to enjoy. Afsan Sattar, the owner of Ganachery specializing in baked desserts, highlights the fusion of food and innovation at the event. Various vendors are experimenting with unique food combinations such as Korean-Bangladeshi fusion and French-Bangladeshi fusion, showcasing how innovation extends beyond fashion and influences the culinary world.

ARKA Fashion Week celebrated its opening day by hosting the pageant competition, Miss and Mister Celebrity Bangladesh 2024, on 26 October. Sajria Tabassum Proma and Rajiul Islam Shadhin were crowned as the winners of the Miss and Mister Celebrity Bangladesh 2024 titles respectively. Bangladeshi fashion, ranging from traditional saris to contemporary streetwear, caters to a diverse array of tastes. ARKA Fashion Week's goal is to showcase this diversity in a manner that appeals to both local and international audiences. The organizers have announced that ARKA Fashion Week will be a bi-annual event, promising its return in the future.