Arka Studio: Of deadstock fabrics, sustainable products and a platform for Gen Z designers

If you've been keeping up with Dhaka's vibrant exhibition scene, you've likely caught a glimpse of the Arka Fashion Week 2023. The three-day extravaganza in October marked a groundbreaking moment in the industry—a vibrant celebration of youth culture, particularly Generation Z.  

The event reportedly surpassed expectations by generating two and a half times more revenue than any other exhibition held at the Aloki Convention Center so far. 

Driven by a vision to democratise fashion in Bangladesh, Arka Studio spearheaded the event and brought over 50 emerging brands under the same roof. A significant majority—more than 60%—were founded by designers and brand owners belonging to the Gen Z demographic.

Arka Studio is anchored on empowering young designers, promoting sustainability and creating a platform for change. Through exhibitions, Arka aspired to give these emerging online brands a physical presence.

Arka, which is planning to organise its second season soon, has already created a lot of buzz. The Business Standard recently sat down with its founder, Asad Sattar.

Hailing from a family rooted in the RMG industry (Utah Group of Companies), Asad is very familiar with the garment landscape of the country. Following his graduation, he joined the family business in 2016. Years of association in the garment sector equipped him with a strong understanding of design, manufacturing and supply chain intricacies. 

With this expertise and knowledge, he envisioned a platform that would be exciting, creative and catered to young designers. 

"Young designers of our country deserve to have a platform where they can showcase their designs and compete with the big retailers," he said. 

Sustainable fashion for all

Under the banner of Arka Studio, Asad has two in-house fashion labels - "Kathal" and "Ami," which also participated in the fashion week. All of the products by these two brands are made from deadstock fabrics.

Asad aims to use Arka Studio as a reselling platform for other brands who share the same business ethos. 

"Not that the other brands can sell all of their products through us. Only those items that are aligned with our vision and mission will be showcased and sold through our platform," added Asad. 

"It might come off as a surprise, but most of the emerging online brands we have in the country are highly sustainable. They mostly use leftover or deadstock fabrics available in Bangladesh. 

No additional textile production is being created by these brands and thus leaves no new carbon footprint." 

Asad's mission is to uplift these brands with the right education about sustainability and effective curation. For its own brands, Arka sources responsibly with 100% traceability. In Asad's words, every part of the supply chain is tracked and traced - from cotton to the store.

"Quite often, sustainable fashion products from big brands are not priced fairly. On the other hand, cheaper items that are produced for the masses have a negative environmental impact. Everyone has the right to fashion, and sustainable fashion, thus there is space in the market for affordable, sustainable products," he added.

At the Arka Fashion Week, there was no use of plastic. From banners to packaging, everything was made with biodegradable materials.

"Our sustainability practices at Arka Fashion Week helped us save 10,000 kg of carbon being released into the atmosphere. We did not allow the use of plastics, but rather used upcycled and recycled materials. We also commit to plant one tree for every order placed in our store," said Asad.

Making Aloki a cultural hub

Aloki Convention Center, located in the capital's Tejgaon Link road, is Asad's family property. It used to be their first ever garment factory which they renovated into a community space.

In just two years, Aloki has evolved into the premier destination for exhibitions, cultural gatherings and concerts. 

"Aloki is situated in a fantastic location and accessible from almost all parts of Dhaka. The combination of indoor and outdoor space makes it a fantastic venue for events like exhibitions and concerts. Moreover, we have a sentimental connection with the venue since it was our family's first garment factory," added Asad.

Making fashion runway accessible to the masses

Asad believes fashion runways and similar events organised around the city are not very inclusive. Most of them are designed for invite-only guests, which makes them inaccessible to the mass audiences.

To democratise fashion and make it attainable for all, he kept the Arka Fashion Week open for all. Anyone could visit the event through prior registration. Two runway shows had around 400 attendees.

"We distributed 200 tickets by invite and 200 as a giveaway during the event to visitors at random," added Asad.

Moreover, Asad believes his platform is beyond an event organiser or fashion label. It is a movement towards inclusivity, sustainability and cultural transformation.

"One of the philosophies for the runway at Arka Fashion Week is that it is not just about showcasing your designs and fabrics. The runway is an entertainment medium,  and audiences should be captivated," he concluded.