Speakers

A fashion designer by profession, Bibi Russell devotes her time and energy to support craftspeople in upholding traditional skills and knowhow, safeguarding cultural heritage and creating decent livelihood opportunities. Her work is at the forefront of creative developmental initiatives, in Bangladesh and beyond (India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Columbia etc.).

A graduate from the London College of Fashion, Bibi has over twenty years of work experience in high fashion in the UK and Europe. Her love for her country brought her back to Bangladesh in 1994 and ever since she has dedicated herself to the preservation and improvement of the handwoven textiles of Bangladesh. With her formal training and expertise in high fashion, she has been assisting the weavers in Bangladesh to diversify, modernize and enhance the quality of their hand-woven and environmentally friendly products. She also assists other artisans into making accessories with natural materials. Bibi blends her creative expertise to that of the local craftspeople to showcase their joint artwork in national and international platforms, demonstrating thereby her own expression of a “Positive Bangladesh”.

Today, Bibi Russell is acclaimed, nationally and internationally, for her creative work, positive energy and her unfailing commitment towards supporting craftspeople to save local crafts, not only as a strategy for the preservation of culture and heritage, but as an important component of sustainable local development.