Model Designs

Such radical ideas define Russell,who was the first woman from Bangladesh to study at the London College of Fashion. After graduation she was offered assignments with designers like Yves Saint Laurent,Karl Lagerfeld and Giorgio Armani. “I have walked the ramp for the most fashionable desingers. I have seen glamour and style. But she found “peace and solace in the simplicity of the weaves” of her home country,Bangladesh. In the 1980s she abandoned her flourishing career in modelling to pursue her dream. “I wanted to use fashion as a develpoment tool . I wanted the world to see the colours and weaves of our villages,” she says. Today,she employs more than 30,000 weavers all over Bangladesh.

Russell,who uses only natural materials in her collection,calls herself a “no-sequins-and-zari designer” . “I believe in the culture and heritage of my country. For me that’s the source of inspiration,” she says.

Vibrant and sassy,Russell’s creations reflect her beliefs. “Comfort is a must. Clothes should be about the people who wear them. They shouldn’t overshadow their personality,” she says.  

In the collection that she presented in the Kolkata Fashion Week,the colourful accessories stood out. “I love accessories. My bangles,in fact,are very popular in the West. Recently,I received a bulk order for the colourful jholas that I showcased in this show too. I am very happy when my accessories are appreciated because they are easy to make and generate more employment,” she claims.

For the fashion conscious Kolkatans,Russell has a message-“I would like to urge all Kolkatans to wear their traditional attire,be it sari,kurtas or mekhlas,at least once a month. They make us look beautiful and help the cause of thousands,” she sums up.