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Economic Boost through Glamour

Bibi Russell's fourth show at Shilpakala

By Rayza Haq
INAUGURATING the colourful and vital exhibit of handloom products and ensembles from local handloom, at the Shllpkala Academy on July 14, Dick den Haas, the Netherlands Ambassador said. "What Bibi Russell has done, in relatively small scale, gives opportunity to thousands of Bangladeshi weavers to get an honest living. Bibi inspires them to use their creativity because, for me. an economy is human crc-atlvity. This is an example for the whole nation and there is tremendous potential for development here. No country can go forward on the basis of charity. Only human employment can bring prosperity, and Bibi has understood that by enabling these weavers to be creative by using their minds and hands. I hope this show will put Bangladesh firmly on the global map for years to come."
Mrs Joke den Haas added. "Bibi has certainly given a different picture from the usual scenes of floods and cyclones that the foreign media normally presents overseas. Witnessing her fashion show in India on the video. 1 feel that it is brave for her to compete with the more powerful neighbouring country. Her French success, also seen in video, proves beyond doubt that Bibi is presenting a positive face to the world outside."
Shumsun Zaman Khan added to this. "Bibi's commitment Is unquestionable. She is not promoting her own views and talents but organising work for poor weavers In our villages. She is one of the finest Innovative and skilful artists who has projected her skill to make the world conscious of the need to help the rural weavers."
Bibi Russell, herself speaking on the occasion. Introducing her products, said, 1 have come back to Bangladesh to revive the handloom weavers. 1 spend a lot of time with them in the villages, and I felt that I had to have an exhibition for people to see and examine their actual work. I
believe In Fashion for development and I want to promote music and crafts from the countryside. There are 126 million people in the country and they, especially the younger generation, are to be aware of fashion designing and local textiles. We fought for our freedom in 1971 to preserve our culture and handloom is definitely an integral part of our culture and heritage. The only Item 1 have failed to preserve is the historical muslin. Through my work I wish to present a beautiful and future-looking work, even though this attempt of mine might be only the initial step in the ladder of progress."
Speaking to The Daily Star. Bibi later added. "Here I have presented my latest collection of ensembles that are meant for part}' dresses, along with shoes and bangles,, the shoes being produced in Spain with my designs. I have shown sarees, scarves, woollen shawls of different colours and motifs the latter ones done from recycled wool and khadL The sairanjis are the only
things I haven't shown but they will be on display at La Galerle (Alliance Franoalse) on 21 of this month. I admit that my flowing and layered collections —1 some having tight fitting sleeveless Jackets — are meant for slim tall young women but I believe our young ones can carry them well too.
"I have used burnished copper
hues, mixed orange shades ranging from salmon to bright flamingo tones, burnished brown, shades of blue ranging from sky-blbe to turquoise arid royal blue offset With white. Lilacs, blabk and gray and soft peach have gone into the soft flowing, caressing formal wear. The embroidery in the form of katha stitch has been only included in some of the scarves to be worn with the clothes, if so desired. Incidentally, my scarves and shawls sell very well both at home and overseas because of the colour combinations and the cheap price. The scarves and shawls can be bought as a part of the outfit or Just on their own. They can give competition to the well-known pashminis from Nepal and Bhutan."
Asked to talk about the combination in the scarves in particular. Bibi said. "I have red. orange, black mixed with white various shades of browns such as plum, amber, mahogany and beige and blues, ruby red. and they match the ensembles, of course. I have to be careful not to display all my new collections so that they are - not copied. The sarees are all tant and they are in yellow; black and white in the case of the Monipuris exhibited, while the khadi ones have beige and maroon with batik print on them. The Tangail pieces in pink, red and blue are again
cheap and alluring in our warm and humid climate. These are for day-to-day wear and cost between Tk 250 to Tk. 400. The bangles and shoes are not for sale as yet. The necessary fabrics are locally made."
Dwelling on her Paris collection in 96. which was on video, Bibi said. "I wanted to show different types of fabrics but though the media, and it was excellent, but my collection was not enough to meet the demand. Now I don't show a collection that doesn't meet the buyers' requests. In future. I will be more organised and have my wits about me in a shaper way."
Speaking about her experience in India that Joke den Haas raved about, Bibi said, "It was my first show ih India' arid 1 was impressed’ by professionalism there. The young generation, who are into modelling there, arc hell bent to do something marvellous and work hard to produce totally satisfying results. This was in
Calcutta and I was provided with the best of lights and stage decorations. I got a franchise for my name within months as a consequence."
Asked to speak about the weavers with whom she works. Bibi said. "My life now is with weavers and I know hundreds of them personally. What you see today is my fourth collection based on these tantis' support. We interact when they come to me and I go to their villages in turn. Sometimes 1 change the motif or colour combinations and at times I try to solve their problems to the best of my abilities. As for the Jamdani. 1 do a lot of changing and choosing in motifs to make the patterns more modem and reducing the heavy paar, I go in for- flowdrs and leaVes1 presented in the traditional from.1 a 16t of gold rather than silver, as the silver does not last long in our climate. It was jamdani that helped me to succeed in Calcutta."