Twelve Runway: Festive wears with panache
It was good to see the way Twelve Clothing’s design has become much more nuanced and fitting for the trendy young customer base they so eagerly look forward to serving
As Twelve Clothing, one of Bangladesh's leading retail fashion brands, unveiled its Eid Collection through a grand fashion show, the city's fashion aficionados and media representatives got to spend a stylish evening on the rooftop of a five-star hotel.
Abuzz with hip numbers and eye-catchy lighting, the razzmatazz almost made everyone feel the festival vibes, well ahead of its actual arrival.
Titled 'Twelve Runway', the show gathered around 50 top models of the industry wearing ethnic and western outfits, smeared with creativity and traditional motifs. Twelve is probably one of the few retail brands that has been spending generously to establish the brand's lifestyle image for the last couple of years.
It was good to see the way their design has become much more nuanced and fitting for the trendy young customer base they so eagerly look forward to serving. For example, the punjabis. A staple for a guy's Eid look, almost all Bangladeshi males of different ages buy a punjabi during Pahela Baishakh or Eid celebrations. Twelve's ensemble of punjabis is a sure hit item, as they pick earthy colour tones and minimalist designs. The fabrics they picked looked really regal, doing proper justice to the title of the collection, 'Royal Delicacy'.
Slim-fit punjabis are a craze among men and the brand has a perfect collection to meet their needs. Coupled with embroidered kotis, some of the punjabis are sure to steal the show.
For fashionistas, Twelve has the most-loved outfit - salwar kameez. Over the last decade, this piece of clothing has slowly replaced sarees, because of their ease of wearing on almost all occasions. Twelve's salwar kameezes were of vibrant colours, and flaunted local motifs. What makes them stand apart from other brands is the use of beautiful yolks or neckline designs. When it comes to cuts and patterns, without trying any adventurous moves Twelve stuck to their usual game plan, and gave what the female buyers wanted most - lots and lots of floral designs. Sprawled all over the kameez, it will surely make them irresistibly attractive to many shoppers. At the same time, remaining true to local motifs, Twelve drew inspiration from alpona of Baishakh or nakshi kantha, and did their own makeover.
Some outfits dazzled the runway in such a splendid way that onlookers were heard praising the stellar collection. Breezy and beautiful, the entire collection is a great pick-me-up for belles.
Twelve's show also featured a bunch of beautiful kids in ethnic wear. This part certainly made everyone nostalgic about their own childhood. Kids from every generation eagerly wait to wear new clothes on the morning of Eid - a trait that is probably the only trend that has not lost its charm over the years. From punjabis to frocks to shirt pants, Twelve's collection has something for everyone. Parents will certainly appreciate this collection, as it enables them to buy matching attires for their children from the same outlet they shop for themselves.
As the show approached its penultimate phase, the models gathered on the ramp for one last time. Following that, the show suddenly became unexpectedly interesting, as the people behind the scenes got their share of limelight to enjoy being on the runway.
A flock of honed designers led by Shubhagata Bhattacharjee Shuvo, all clad in beautiful black attires, walked down the ramp. The audience got to see the bunch that put together such a beautiful ensemble of clothing lines for the forthcoming festive season.
After that, with more upbeat music, the ramp welcomed the quintessential face of the Bangladeshi modelling industry - Sadia Islam Mou, in a beautiful multicoloured evening dress and suede boots. From her curly hair to the sashaying cape, everything she wore fitted effortlessly with the title of the collection. A visual feast for everyone in the audience.
It's indeed a positive sign that ageism is not yet a thing in our fashion industry. Mou has been modelling for many decades and her ethereal beauty has enthralled generations of fashion lovers.
Making a senior model a part of such a contemporary show, which is mostly seen in the West, indeed gives us hope, and will certainly inspire many of the current models to create their own legacy. She was soon accompanied by Abdullah Hil Rakib, the MD of the Team group that owns the brand. And with that, it was a wrap!