Majestic Silks of Bangladesh: Advancing silk through classy design

Bangladesh's history is intertwined with its fabrics. Its textures have etches of the stories of the countless hands that brought them into existence. 

In 2021, Bangladesh's pride, Rajshahi silk, received recognition as a Geographical Indication product. 

The event 'Majestic Silks of Bangladesh' by Maheen Khan, held in Gulshan Lake Park on November 12, was a nod to Bangladesh's Rajshahi silk, aiming to spread awareness of the beauty of silk and the importance of the craft.

Maheen Khan is a leading designer and founder of Mayasir, who has made her mark in the industry since 1986. 

The event displayed outstanding saris, elegant panjabis, lehengas, and even a bit of western wear. The array of designs showcased in the event showed the harmony between Western and Bangali fashion. 

Details such as halter necks and v-hemline crop tops were added to traditional lehengas or pleated pants. One of the more stand-out pieces was a men's silk tie-dye ensemble with a flowy shrug over a laid back shirt.

The overall theme of the ensembles seemed to be elegance and beauty in subtlety. 

The event commenced with a model sauntering through the runway in a nude-colour sari with a ruffled neck, that exuded regality. The collection of silk attires were not flashy or loud, each piece managed to stand out with minimal designs through textures, colours, and balanced designs. 

The colour palette was playful with bright shades, with the accompanying elegant nudes and monochromes.

One of the ways the styles uplifted the designs was through textures. Panjabis with coatees had contrasting shiny silk and matte textures to elevate them.

The celebrity fashion designer, Shaibal Saha, spoke at the event. 

"With time, to meet demands, machine production was introduced alongside handmade silk. However, it has had adverse effects on the environment. Machine-made silk can never match the quality of silk made by hand." 

Maheen Khan commented, "the craftsmen, designers, and workers of this industry deserve a respectful place in society. Even though unfortunate, it is true that the craft is in danger."

The event was in partnership with HSBC and supported by the Gulshan Society.