designing with a difference

subhra shaha

IF you're bored with the same old designs of kameez and sari, and the limited styles and cuts they come in…if you want to experiment with casual and Western wear, but you're not sure how, there's something now to look forward to. Someone who's waiting to bring a breath of fresh air into the local fashion industry, and intends to change the way we look at fashion here. Make way for Subhra Shaha.

Shaha graduated from NIFT in India, and was a member of the faculty there for a few years before she came to Bangladesh in 2001. Right now she works as a consultant, Fashion Technologist and Pattern Designer for the BGMEA Institute of Fashion and Technology. In her spare time, she does fashion designing as a hobby.

Subhra Shaha has a lot to say about the fashion industry here, and the way people see fashion. She has been training aspiring designers here, and the enthusiasm and energy she sees in them, has thoroughly convinced her that we have great potential. "Till now, the market for 'designer fashion' here has mostly been dominated by small boutiques, where the designers had started designing as a hobby; often without any formal academic qualifications for this kind of work. In the near future, however, we can hope to see more designers who actually have formal training in design, and it is going to make a big difference in the way people wear clothes here."

Although Shaha is currently designing only as a hobby, she plans to open her own boutique soon. She likes to focus more on casual and evening wear, rather than traditional outfits. What is unique about her designs is that she concentrates more on the cut, color and texture of her outfits, rather than the embellishments. "I like to work with sequins and simple embroidery, but I don't go for the block prints or heavy mirror work and embroidery that some designers prefer. I am more interested in the cut and the silhouette. I've experimented with the 3D effect, using drapes, and was quite pleased with the results." She uses natural materials like cotton and silk, although she has also worked with synthetic fabrics like georgette and chiffon. When asked about the inspiration behind her designs, she says that she draws her ideas from nature. The greenery she has seen in Bangladesh has inspired her latest collection of designs. She is also a great admirer of Italian designers and the late Gianni Versace.
Her boutique, when it is established, will be something to look forward to, as it promises to be different from anything we've seen here so far. Let's all wish her the best of luck, shall we?

By Sabrina F. Ahmad

For more information on BIFT and the fashion and designing diploma courses, contact bift@email.com.