Arka Fashion Week, the groundbreaking event with a mission to democratise fashion, kicked off its inaugural edition on Thursday at the Aloki Convention Center, Tejgaon in the capital. An exclusive initiative of Arka Studio, the Arka Fashion Week comes with a commitment to provide equitable opportunities to all kinds of designers and brands in Bangladesh. The inaugural day of the three-day fashion week witnessed a bustling Marketplace and was alive with a dazzling array of fashion and cultural celebrations, and marked the beginning of a transformative journey for the country’s fashion industry. Also read: Personal Grooming Tips and Tricks for Better Life and Career Over 50 entrepreneurs and brands are participating in this three-day event which works with fashion, fashion accessories, and fashion-related products, made in Bangladesh. Alongside the marketplace, there are several other engaging spaces for the attendees including an exhibition curated by Shehzad Chowdhury and Adrita Mahin Khan on the theme "Analogue to Digital," an interactive space titled ‘Design Lab’ where one can buy a product and create their designs, live concerts with renowned bands and food zone. As part of the opening day extravaganzas, a pageant competition titled “Miss and Mister Celebrity Bangladesh 2024”, was held at the event. The pageant is a platform to empower individuals and enhance their talents through the grooming of a pageantry journey on a local and international level. Also read: Gemstones Guide: Precious, Semi-precious Stones Used in Jewellery In Bangladesh, the Azra Mahmood Talent Camp (AMTC) is the license holder for the pageant. AMTC also represents India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. This has been an all-inclusive camp dedicated towards a focused endeavour of transforming models and aspiring models into their world-class counterparts by incorporating years of industry experience and knowledge, transforming the dreams of all men and women into groomed, artistic versions of themselves. A total of 16 participants, 8 male and 8 female contestants participated this year, and the winners of the titles of Miss and Mister Celebrity Bangladesh 2024 were Sajria Tabassum Proma and Rajiul Islam Shadhin, respectively. They will further go on to represent Bangladesh in Miss and Mister Celebrity International 2024 in Vietnam. Also read: Freshwater Pearls: All You Need to Know