A UK-based menswear designer is preparing for his first major fashion show in the New Year, which will showcase his collection inspired by his Bangladeshi heritage.
Rahemur Rahman, a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, will be unveiling his Autumn/Winter Collection in an installation that evokes his British Bangladeshi upbringing at London Fashion Week Men's on January 5, 2019. The 27-year-old works with Bangladeshi fair-trade organisation Aranya as part of his mission to keep the country’s arts and crafts at the heart of his creations.
“Having a Bangladeshi connection is important for me, this is why I am working in partnership with Aranya in Dhaka to create some amazing textiles that are naturally dyed,” he told ‘Bangla Tribune’ in an interview.
“The crafts of Bangladesh are what drives my creativity and using my new-found platform in London is the perfect exposure to what some would call the hidden talents of Bangladesh,” he said.
Rahman’s inspiration is his father, who came to London in the 1980s and took on a job working in a tailoring factory in the Bangladeshi hub of Brick Lane in east London. This was a common trend within the Bangladeshi community migrating to the UK during that era. To this day, his father works as a tailor in the East End of London.
“This love of tailoring mixed with my mother’s longing for her motherland brought together an aesthetic I think many can appreciate,” says Rahman, whose research tends to be old photographs of his family.
The young designer’s mission is for the world to see that fashion can be a vehicle for political change and trigger discussions around big issues.
“I believe my work does have that, but firstly they are great pieces of clothing that are made by amazing textiles,” he said.
His plan for the New Year is to continue growing his brand in the UK and make it financially sustainable enough so that he can showcase his work in Bangladesh. He is confident that the country’s image can undergo much-needed transformation, in the wake of some tragedies such as the collapse of Rana Plaza garment factory in 2013.
“Bangladesh has a lot of work to do politically, which starts with the RMG industry understanding its power in Bangladesh and using it for the good of the people,” he said.
“Sadly, a lot the good PR of Bangladesh is quickly diminished by the actions of a few who are letting capital gains blur their views on humanity and compassion,” he added.