Lisa ray with organizers Karishma Khan and Ali Faiyaz Shoummo
Once again, fashion mavens and enthusiasts in Dhaka were treated to an exemplary fashion show which showcased a host of marvelous designs from some of the most talented designers from the country, as well as famous designers from the region and a gorgeous celebrity showstopper. Yes, “TRESemmé presents 5 Years Celebration of The Lustrous Runway” was all that and much more.
The platform was primarily conceived and created with a vision to redefine the future of fashion and integrate Bangladesh into the global fashion world, allowing fashion designers to turn into artists and portray their creativity on the runway. This year, the show has done exactly that with the likes of Sarah Karim, Salita Nanda, Zurhem, Agnimitra Paul, Anokhi and finally, Neeta Lulla.
The glittering night kicked off with homegrown designer Sarah Karim, who transported the audience to the Mughal era with her line of traditional couture and embroidered feminine dresses with modern cuts in black, white and gold.
Karim was followed by Salita Nanda’s bold and vivid designs inspired by surrealism. The entire line saw creatively used, juxtaposing elements which made all the sense in the world and looked absolutely brilliant.
Next up was Mehruz Munir’s Zurhem. The relatively new brand has already made news for its cutting edge style and impeccable fit and it wasn’t any different on the night of the event. Aptly titled as “The Rebels of China,” the collection saw brilliant use of Chinese prints, silk and velvet. Zurhem’s line left the men from the audience gasping for more.
Agnimitra Paul’s line of colourful dresses were inspired by Madhubani paintings from the Madhoban district of Bihar. The collection spoke of confident, elegant women and was heavily applauded by the audience. Anokhi by Humayra Khan’s comprised of beautiful embroidery inspired by nature on muslin, silk and jamdani, which would surely bring out the young fashionista in you.
Last but not the least, celebrity designer Neeta Lulla made all jaws drop with her collection of ethnic Indian wear. With colours like pink, gold and red, Neeta made sure that the models looked drop dead gorgeous to finish the night.
Finally, the audience was awed as the beautiful Lisa Ray set fire to the runway, donning a gorgeous embroidered outfit designed by Sarah Karim with jewellery from Gitanjali. The actor, model and philanthropist said, “I am honoured to be a part of the fifth year celebration of The Lustrous Runway. I am from Kolkata originally so I love it when I hear Bangla everywhere I go in Dhaka. There’s a lot of style here in Dhaka. It’s my first time and I hope it is not my last.”
“Fashion has really grown exponentially in Asia in recent years. In India alone, the fashion industry has become huge, but what appeals to me the most, is style. It is an expression of who you are, your confidence, your inner strength. Elegance too, is key and I see there’s a lot of elegance around. Dhaka, you are rocking it!” she added.
When asked about his feelings about the latest event being the seventh one in five years, organiser Ali Faiyaz Shoumo smiled broadly and said, “it is a great feeling to see that something that started so small and with almost no sponsor, is now being celebrated in such a grand manner. We wanted to portray the same quality as international fashion shows and today, The Lustrous Runway is considered as a brand and as the organizers, Karishma and I couldn’t be any happier.”
The fifth year celebrations of The Lustrous Runway was presented by TRESemmé, driven by BMW, in association with City Bank American Express and Kohler. The event was co-sponsored by Gitanjali, Innstar and the Oriental group, and partnered by Prive Spa & Salon and Elite Force. It was organised by Infinity Management.