| This is the first London collection to
emerge from the villages of Bangladesh. One million people depend on weaving these
glamorous silks and cottons for their livelihood. But the spread of cheap machine-made fabrics has threatened their
traditional skills.
And if that were not enough, now many weavers have
been left destitute by the worst floods this century.
They are putting their faith in former fashion model
turned designer Bibi Russell, hoping she will rescue them by promoting their craft abroad.
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"Everyone thinks
Bangladesh is a poor country," said Bibi. "For a creative person - for me - it's
rich in culture and everything. So it gives me a lot of energy I live in Bangladesh.
Most of the time I'm in villages and I'm competing with top designers." Bibi's dresses may be the height of fashion but the technology that
produced them is centuries old. |
| Hand-made Asian chic on parade |
|
It all starts with silk cocoons which are
laboriously unravelled into shimmering thread. Spinning, twisting and dyeing provides
employment for the whole family.
Bibi Russell boasts that everything in her
collection is environmentally friendly and hand-made.
| It's not easy ensuring only natural
dyes are used and a consistent standard is produced. If just one thread snaps the quality drops so even a ceiling fan is not
allowed in the weaving room.
Bibi Russell calls her label Fashion for
Development. She hopes to help tackle the terrible poverty of rural Bangladesh made worse
by this year's floods which covered two-thirds of the country. |
 |
|
New hope for destitute weavers |
"I have to think a lot to do my designing
because I'm not using stretch materials, jersey materials, chiffon, velvet or any
machine-made fabric," said Bibi.
 |
Few weaving communities escaped this
latest natural disaster, including master craftsmen who produced a special range of
Jamdani cloth for Bibi's show. It is a mixture of weaving and knotted embroidery which results in the most
sophisticated and expensive silk sari in Asia.
The craft dates back to the Mughal period passed
down from generation to generation. |
| Bibi: inspired by a rich culture |
|
The craft dates back to the
Mughal period passed down from generation to generation.
| Two hundred years ago, fine muslin went
from Dakar to the fashionable ladies of London. Once again handloom fabric is making its
way to the catwalks of Europe from the villages of Bangladesh. This is the first time a designer from a developing country has been asked
to open the London fashion show.
The hope is this collection will not just set a
passing trend but create an interest in hand-made fabrics bringing prosperity to their
creators. |
 |
| At a time when the country is reeling
from the effects of devastating floods, it's all |
Jamdani silk - the most expensive in Asia |
|
BBC News archive from London Fashion
week