Once again, the runway in Dhaka lit up with fashion luminaries, visiting and homegrown, as the fashion mavens gathered at Radission Blu Ballroom for the Ponds presents The Lustrous Runway last Friday. The stunning Dia Mirza graced Dhaka's ramp for the first time as the showstopper.
The show started off with a display of hand-made jewellery from Sasha Exclusives, hand crafted by Bangladeshi silversmiths into stunning confections of dyes, stones and gems.
Next up was Jyotsna Tiwari from India whose theme for the night was the innocence of the first flush of love. Full length gowns, saris, updates on traditional lehengas in colours that ranged from sparkly metals to soft pastels and bold reds characterised the collection.
Tiwari was followed by Diva by Nisha Ali, who found her inspiration in the craftsmanship of local weavers and artisans. Her Fall’15 collection was launched as a tribute to the heritage of Bengal- Jamdani and Muslin. The line showcased an affair of tradition and contemporary as she used pastels and soft metals with the most delicate of embellishments. A long dress with an elegant Victorian collar deserves particular mention.
The fourth designer of the night was Shamsha Harshwani, a veteran from India whose studio is known for its personal attention towards clients. Pulling the vivid colours of a beach sunset, the gorgeous deshi and international evening wear made quite a statement, although the standout piece was an ornate white achkan. The only piece of menswear from the line was an elegant silver panjabi paired with a heavily embroidered shawl.
Gitanjali were up next as they showcased beautiful bridal ornaments along with contemporary designs, fit for the modern bride.
Following the jewellery brand, Nova with genuine Swarovski sent out their collection on the runway. Farzana Nova, known to work with Swarovski crystals imported from Austria, ensured that the bling was understated and classy. The outfits stuck to clean lines and solid colours to bring out the impact of the embellishments.
Next was Jyoti Sachdev Iyer, an Indian fashion designer who has worked with international design houses like La-Perla, Fendi and Kenzo. Known for customised clothing, her collection was a celebration of colours as the outfits made bold statements on the runway. Asymmetric lines, dramatic sihouettes made for a collection composed of conversation pieces. Worth mention is a silver embroidered crop top with a black skirt.
After Sachdev, came the brother-sister duo of Komal and Ratul Sood. Where Komal’s women’s evening wear line married international red carpet style with deshi formal wear, Ratul’s menswear collection went full on Sub Continental royal with their sharp cuts, luxe fabrics, and intricate detailing. It would take a real man to pull off those florals with panache, but this collection nailed it.
The last but definitely one of the most interesting segments of the show commenced as the models walked out in ensembles by Rubize. The theme was nostalgia for the card and board games of old. Dresses, saris, skirts and so on featured intricate motifs such as Scrabble pieces, snakes and ladders, cards and a trendy card jacket were delightful to watch.
The showstopper, model/actress/producer and former Miss Asia Pacific, Dia Mirza took the stage in a stunning blue and gold Rubize, accessorised by Gitanjali, leaving rows of dropped jaws in her wake.
“This is my first time in Dhaka, and I am very happy to be here. Fashion is a very personal form of expression of who you are, reflection of your identity. Kudos to the organisers of The Lustrous Runway, and the designers for providing such a platform for fashion to flourish.” -Dia Mirza
The event, which was organised by Infinity Event Management, was sponsored by Pond’s, in association with BMW. Co sponsors included Citybank, Amex, Gitanjali Lifestyle, Kryolan, and Oriental Group with Prive Spa and Salon, The Olives, Elite Force as partners.
