Sumaya Khan Designs Costumes for Coke Studio Bangla — Season II
Coke Studio Bangla Season II seems to be enjoying as much love and popularity as its predecessor did last year. Marrying tradition, folk culture, and musical creativity into its creations the season's delights include songs of the seas, like Nodir Kul, and fusion folk such as Deora, Kotha Koiyo Na, and Dewana.
While the show is essentially all about music, there is much to note about the glamour of the entire package, from the blend of new and old music forms to the elaborate set and instruments, and of course, the styling.
Pakistani and Indian versions of Coke Studio have shown tremendous improvement over the years, coming back with more glam and innovation each time, and Bengali fans hold Coke Studio Bangla to similar expectations. They hope to see much more eclectic originality and fun aesthetics in each new edition — so far, the current season has not disappointed.
Styling them with custom-made outfits for the season is Sumaya Khan, a designer known for her creativity with women's traditional and bridal wear. The fashion house is four years old and Coke Studio Bangla is her first foray into menswear.
Clearly, there is much to be excited about. "I was just about to start work on my first ever men's traditional wear for August this year when they came to me. There couldn't have been a better time," says the young designer.
As with women's fashion, Sumaya Khan has taken care to work with her male celebrity models, rather than over them. Firmly believing in respecting the individual styles and tastes of each artist, she has found a way to make celebrities feel comfortable in her clothes.
"Fuad, for instance, usually dresses in black. I did not want to take that away from him and make him feel uncomfortable. So, we just used black on his outfits, with some extra embellishments for a signature Sumaya Khan look," says Sumaya Khan.
In the newest release from Coke Studio, Dewana, Fuad can be seen in a pure cotton panjabi with loose pyjamas and a long, hand-embroidered, sleeveless jacket.
The advent of summer, the lighting on the sets, and the adrenaline are all factors that can make artists uncomfortable on stage. Keeping all this in mind, Sumaya has chosen to work with only natural, comfortable fabrics for her musician models.
Aleya Begum, the singer from Coke Studio Bangla's recent release, Kotha Koiyo Na, was styled in a red, raw-silk kameez, with exquisitely detailed patterns in milky white. The outfit, taken from Sumaya Khan's last year's collection synchronises well with the stage.
"The dupatta, in white jamdani, was taken from another one of my outfits. It was a good combination and ended up making Aleya Begum look resplendent," says Khan.
Sumaya may be the sole designer to have worked in this high-profile project but other fashion houses across the country have also lent readymade outfits to the celebrities.
"It may be something of a mix and match," says Sumaya Khan. "There might be a kurti from a different fashion house, being paired with an orna I have provided. It all depends on the stylist and the creative vision."
For the rest of her Coke Studio Bangla lookbook, Sumaya has chosen all sorts of colours and embellishments, keeping in mind the theme of the songs the artists are performing, and the directorial vision. If the released songs are anything to go by, the rest of Coke Studio Bangla Season II is set to be a visual treat.
"There's a little bit of everything," she says, cryptically. If not divulging much is her way of keeping us guessing, we are appropriately intrigued.