Coquitlam: Fashion fanatics in Vancouver are in for a treat, the inaugural South Asian Fashion Week kicks off this Friday, March 2 – Sunday, March 4 at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver.
Rich fabrics, ornate beading, intricate embroidery, and bespoke cuts will dominate the runway where 20 local designers will be showcasing their creations during the highly-anticipated three-day event, including: Zuri Designs, Wellgroomed, Sunny’s Bridal, Obsession Jewels, Mine of Design, Mehnaz Fine Jewels, Lux Collections, Indochino, House of Raina, House of Fida, Bombay Couture, Baynes + Baker and Armaan.
SAFW is produced by Cindy Khella, Farah Hasan, Hartej Dhanda, and Pindie Dhaliwal. Khella notes that Metro Vancouver has emerged as a destination for special-occasion pieces, which are often custom-made and constructed from rich fabrics with immaculate attention to detail, drawing shoppers from across the country and even south of the border.
“They’ve been coming here looking for particular styles and fashions because the designers here are coming up with really unique stuff,” says Khella, who also owns the jewellery boutique High Heel Obsession. “And we felt that we needed to create a platform just to celebrate not only local designers but the artistry of South Asian designers in general.”
In addition to men’s and women’s runway shows, SAFW will feature an opening-night gala dinner, dance and cabaret performances, and a live auction benefiting a local charity. There will also be a number of showrooms exhibiting garments, jewellery, and beauty products for sale where attendees may meet and speak with local designers to learn more about the bespoke nature of South Asian apparel.
“Cultural appropriation is a hot button issue, especially in fashion. At SAFW, we want to give everyone the permission to freely explore wearing traditional South Asian apparel,” shares Khella. “We invite everyone to celebrate the artistry of South Asian fashion and design on the runway, and in the streets.”
When: March 2 to 4, 2018
Where: Hard Rock Casino Vancouver – 2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam
Price: Starting at $35 – Tickets available at www.safw.ca
