Meet Fashion Forward International Students Shuvo, Sabrina and Tolu

Story by Grace Bolthouse

Learn more about Central Michigan University students from all over the globe and their personal styles with these three students.

Shuvo Kumar Kundu (Bangladesh)

Master of Science,  Fashion Merchandising and Master of Science in Information Systems

Favorite Place to Travel: New York City

How would you describe your style and personal view on fashion?

My style is what makes me unique and acceptable to my audience and I impose more emphasis on double “C” when it comes to my fashion. My fashion is what makes me comfortable and confident. My fashionable style might not always meet current trend but it makes me simple and inclusive. From my personal point of view, fashion never should exaggerate and be unacceptable to the event. Since the style one carries his/her personality, one [should keep track] what suits or not his or her personality.

What is the biggest difference between trends here at CMU compared to your home country?

The biggest difference I noticed is here at CMU people dress according to weather and comfort, but back home people consider cultural norm over the weather or comfort when it comes to fashion. In Bangladesh, both men and women prefer dresses that covers most part of the body even if Bangladesh is a warm country. As a result, shorts are not popular in Bangladesh, where long saggy pants take the place of shorts to provide comfort in hot weather.

Women often wear sarees (an approximately 15 ft. long and 4 ft. wide piece of unstitch cloth) and men wear lungi (a tubular gown tucked around waist and drape until ankle). Both are the traditional and popular dress in Bangladesh.”

Are there any fashion trends you think you will take back home with you?

I personally like shorts and crew neck t-shirts for their great comfort-ability during summer. I will keep wearing them even if I [go back to] Bangladesh.

Explain your journey with fashion or experiences traveling and being at CMU:

I am very proud to let the world know that Bangladesh is the second largest textile manufacturer and exporter around the world, just after the China. Even after Bangladesh is a land of 56,977 mi², which is a little bigger than half of the state of Michigan.

I started my journey with fashion with the dream of become owner of my own fashion brand. To pursue my dream I attended fashion related degree in my college and at CMU. I love travel and experience and new form of fashion. My vision is to make a bridge between histories of fashion and the fashion of next generation.

Sabrina Saba Marsha (Bangladesh)

Master of Science,  Apparel Product Development and Merchandising Technology

Favorite Place to Travel: Bangladesh (Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, Sunamganj, Rangpur, Thakurgaon, Bandarban), U.S.A. (Florida, Virginia, Washington DC), Middle East (Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Abha, Jeddha)

How would you describe your style and personal view on fashion?

From my perspective, fashion is a manner in which people dress to represent their personality and appearance. I like to wear saree, salwar kamiz (traditional dress) as well as western dress. I always tried to dress up in a sober way. However I always keep in my mind that whatever I dress up I look good.

What is the biggest difference between trends here at CMU compared to your home country?

I think the main difference is “culture.” In Bangladesh people most of the time wear traditional dresses whenever they go out for work. [They only wear] casual dresses when they hang out with friends, indoor family party. Some of the school or college have their uniform, even some office employee wear specific uniform.

Here at CMU, people always wear western clothing. It is difficult to find anyone who wears traditional dresses. Also in Bangladesh people tend to wear colorful dresses most of the time which I found are rare at CMU.

 

Are there any fashion trends you think you will take back home with you?

I believe simplicity is always best. Here people always dress up simple and rarely wear heavy makeup. Whatever they wear they look so nice and beautiful. Their personality appears to match with their fashion.

Explain your journey with fashion or experiences traveling and being at CMU:

As I am born and brought up in a country of South East Asia, I saw lots of color around me. I was so amazed to see people wearing different colorful attires for different occasions. Whenever I saw an individual with a colorful dress, it always made me to wonder why do people wear different colorful clothes every day? How do they make these clothes? Where do they find tools and how long it took them to invent the tools? Before my exposure to the world of fashion, I hardly knew about this discipline. However, over time I learned about this discipline slowly and understood about the multi-functional dimension of dress and appearance. The scope of this field amazes me and gives me the feeling of being in the perfect place to broaden my knowledge about fashion and textile-apparel world.

Nathan Tolulope (Nigeria)

Senior Undergraduate Student, Accounting

Favorite Place to Travel: Paris, France

How would you describe your style and personal view on fashion?

Fashion, in my opinion, is a “statement on mute,” which means that a person’s dress-sense is their way of expressing themselves without actually saying a word.

What is the biggest difference between trends here at CMU compared to your home country?

I like to think most Nigerians are “fashion conscious.” Nigerians are scarcely ever hesitant in expressing themselves—of which fashion is not exempt. Bold and fearless would be the perfect word to describe us.

Are there any fashion trends you think you will take back home with you?

Honestly, most of the trends in the US (and other parts of the world) has been a great influence on fashion, today, in Nigeria. With the fast-rising fashion industry in Nigeria along with the increase the number of Africans in the Diaspora, fashion in Nigeria is now global.

Tolu designs as well. Take a peek at her creations at last year’s Threads Fashion Show. Be on the loo kout at this year’s show, as well (and Grand Central’s behind the scenes feature).

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