By Mahjabin Rahman
Asad Sattar, founder of Arka Fashion Week and Creative Director of Ami Dhaka, carried Bangladesh onto the global fashion stage at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit (August 28–30, Concert Hall Zaryadye) and Moscow Fashion Week (August 28–September 2, 2025). The Summit gathered international leaders for high-level dialogue on fashion’s future, while Moscow Fashion Week unfolded across landmark venues with runway shows and cultural programming.
A New Chapter for Bangladesh
On the Summit’s plenary stage, Sattar argued that Bangladesh’s next breakthrough is not only in manufacturing but in exporting its cultural identity. He pointed to the shift from garments to stories, craft, music, digital culture, and design; woven together for a new generation. Arka Fashion Week, he stressed, is already paving that path by giving Gen Z and millennials a platform that feels both local and global.
“For Bangladesh to export its fashion, we must think beyond garments. What we can and should export is our culture—our crafts, our stories, our heritage—told in contemporary ways.”
Heritage with a Future: Ami Dhaka
Sattar’s own label, Ami Dhaka, embodies what he calls Heritage Futurism. Every piece draws from Bangladeshi craft traditions but is designed for the rhythm of modern life. Nothing is mass-produced; even the size labels are hand-stitched, turning the smallest detail into a symbol of conscious fashion.
At Moscow Fashion Week, Sattar wore unreleased Ami Dhaka pieces, the garments that carried Dhaka’s history, present, and future on his sleeves.
“Ami Dhaka translates to ‘I am Dhaka.’ I wear Dhaka’s history, present, and future on my sleeves—and I’m proud to take that story global.”
Moscow’s Fashion Energy
The Moscow shows offered Sattar a panoramic view of fashion’s diversity – from luxury houses to rebellious contemporary designers, alongside international showcases from China, Brazil, and more. What struck him most was the balance between heritage and modernism in Russian design.
“Moscow Fashion Week has made a strong case for being recognized as a global fashion capital, with craftsmanship and innovation on full display.”
Building Global Bridges
For Sattar, the experience reaffirmed Arka Fashion Week’s role as a bridge, connecting Bangladeshi designers, models, and creatives to international platforms, while inviting global collaborators to Dhaka for cultural exchange. This vision resonates with the BRICS International Fashion Federation, launched in Moscow in 2024, which now unites over 50 nations in the spirit of fashion diplomacy.
Looking Ahead: Arka Fashion Week, Dec 4–7
The journey continues in Dhaka. From December 4–7, Arka Fashion Week returns to the Aloki Convention Center for its fourth and largest edition. This year, the spotlight is on Bangladesh’s artisans—honoring craft heritage while reframing it for contemporary relevance.
Arka’s growth has been organic, built without institutional investors, driven by community energy and a not-for-profit ethos. In just a few years, it has become Bangladesh’s largest fashion platform; part festival, part movement.
“Arka Fashion Week is not just a fashion event—it’s a cultural movement. Our goal is to put Dhaka firmly on the global fashion map as a hub for creativity, youth culture, and South Asian fashion.”
All the information and images are provided by Arka team
