Published on 12:00 AM, November 14, 2017

Winter Bloom

Bright flowers usually bloom in spring, but does that mean we cannot discuss it in winter? On the contrary! Renowned fashion designer Maheen Khan's, London Fashion Week compilation proves otherwise; with a collection emphasizing just the bloom.

Smiling in the Winter Sun

A bright and sunny day in Winter,

Makes one happy to be alive.

A nice day to go out the country,

If one had a car for to drive.

To have a walk in the parkland,

and enjoy the Winter sun.

-- Francis Duggan

 

Flowers in Winter

I picked a snowdrop today,

Is it so terrible?

The saintly colours

Bid misery away.

– MMC

 

Since a very long time, we have witnessed Mayasir showcase products in Nakshi, Muslin and Jamdani highlighting the traditional motifs and weaves of Bangladesh. The London Week Collection seemed slightly different; it indicated a touch of high-street fashion rather than haute couture. 

Maheen Khan agreed with us on this note, "The entire world is swept off their feet with high-street fashion, at the moment; a tacit global language that is shared by all, including the young. I have tried to incorporate that unified global feel into this limited collection," indicated the whizz designer.

Upon further discussion we were able to comprehend the details behind the design; Maheen Khan revealed to us that the botanical motifs used in the special collection were an inspiration from the century old, regal, English gardens of British royalty. She also added in few words of her own, "I want the language of all my creations to be communicative. People must be able to relate to it from all aspects of life. That's why most of the designs in this collection are long and flowy, which are very much in trend right now. But I have not forgotten our uniqueness either, having incorporated stitches in Nakshi with comfortable styling, cotton threads, handmade belts and natural beads as embellishments," she said.

Just after the London Fashion Week was over, Maheen Khan was involved with a new collection for the Khadi Festival. Everywhere it seemed she concentrated on designs for the young – or the 'young at heart to be precise'. Maheen Khan beamed at the idea, "Of course! Why not?If we shy away from incorporating the desires of the younger generation, then how can we expect our creativity to last a long time? We cannot expect to make any changes in the world without their approval! To re-ignite the essence of the Khadi, I had to design contemporary styles which are appreciated by the young.  Before any sort of finalization on designs, I contemplated my daughter wearing the clothes; if I could relate to her global way of styling, only then did I confirm the designs."

Those were the words of a fashion maestro, indicating the fact that the world of design is definitely changing. While we stay true to our heritage it doesn't hurt to welcome changes, re-emphasising our heritage, bringing it in-front of the world stage.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Models: Mashiat and Trino

Wardrobe: Maheen Khan, Mayasir

Make-up: Farzana Shakil's Makeover Salon

Location: Four Points by Sheraton

Styling: Sonia Yeasmin Isha