Tenzing Chakma, a fashion designer renowned for being one of the first Bangladeshi designers to bring branding to local textiles was a perfect fit for Aspara fashion week as his hallmark style complements Aspara’s vision to celebrate the diffusion of culture. Tenzing’s fashion philosophy always prioritised the revival of his own roots, through both traditional and fusion wear.

“This is the very first time I did a fashion show online. It was different but definitely a lot less stressful. Fashion shows require tremendous amounts of commuting, we have to carry tons of equipment back and forth, and that is only the tip of the iceberg of all the hassle. Being able to just send in a video was relatively stress-free,” mentioned Tenzing.

When asked about his inspirations for his line, Colours of Life, Tenzing mentioned that he wanted to think out of the box.

“I was faced with an international audience. I wanted to base my line on western high end fashion, while still bringing a breath of fresh air to it,” shared Tenzing.

One of the most distinct attributes of Tenzing’s line is the skilful use of bright and vibrant colours. Bright colours have always been a preference for Tenzing over neutral or muted shades. Most looks incorporate rainbow bands or complementary jewel tones to accent black, in the form of motifs.

Although at first glance Tenzing’s line looks heavily inspired by western fashion, he did imbue it with various Indo-Asian and local Bangladeshi influences.

“I always try to use bright colours. I used pinon and wrap overs in a slightly fancier way. The most common fabric I used was the backstrap loom with some muslin. Local elements and local fabrics did have its place in my line,” noted Tenzing.

By Tasfia Ahmed

Photo: Uturn Production

Model: Maria, Hira, Mili, Tania, Efa, Nazia

Wardrobe: Tenzing Chakma

Make-up: Orko

Co-ordination: Sonia Yeasmin Isha