As Dhaka readies itself for festival fever, the first group to fire a salvo is the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh (FDCB), readying itself for its third annual Khadi festival. Building on the tremendous success of the first two shows, Khadi: The Future Fabric Show 2017 promises to be even bigger this year.
A whopping 18 Bangladeshi designers, both old guard and newcomers and 6 international designers are slated to showcase their mastery over the “future fabric”
The festival this year opens with a press conference at Gulshan Club on October 29, where the sponsors, partners and organisers will lay out their mission and vision for the endeavour. November 3&4 has been slated for the fashion shows at the International Convention City, Bashundhara. If you like what you see on the ramps, the gorgeous creations will be on sale (and available for orders) at Gardenia on November 10&11.
2017’s theme sees a return to form, as FDCB’s President Maheen Khan informed Weekend Tribune that the participants are once again turning to Bangladeshi crafts as design prompts. From sheetol pati to terracotta and wood art, it will be exciting to see how these motifs are incorporated into clothing. In addition, the FDCB is collaborating with a theatre group for a performance showcasing revolutionary characters out of the pages of the history of the Sub Continent, as a means of reminding the audience about the role played by khadi in revolutions in the past.
“We need to remember that there’s more to khadi than clothes and fabric. It has been a tool for self reliance, for conservation, and we’re hoping that more people see that” Khan said.
“We had an amazing response last year, with more conversations started about mainstreaming khadi. The Handloom Board got in touch to talk about getting involved. We want more people to be aware of khadi as viable option for every day wear, so that our local artisans are able to protect their craft and their livelihoods” she added.
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