Diverse City: Charmée Soirée Runway Show 2024

Charmée Soirée Runway 2024 is an immersive celebration of cultural diversity, welding together the threads of fashion, art and entertainment in Montreal.

The fashion show was organized by ZN Events, founded by Zoha Khan and Neha Sandhu. The event took place recently in downtown Montreal. It showcased diverse fashion from a multitude of cultural origins.

“ZN Events motivation stems from a desire to bridge the gap between diverse cultures, elevate the appreciation for heritage and showcase the beauty of inclusivity,” says Khan.

“We want all guests to leave here with an appreciation of diversity,” Khan said.

Added Sandhu: “Being from Punjabi and Zoha being Pakistani, we grew up in two different communities, but we’ve always been so close, so we thought maybe how about bringing all the communities together.”

Khan is a second-generation Canadian and reflects on why it’s so important for her to connect with her South Asian roots.

“I feel that it’s way more important to connect back, especially as a second-generation (Canadian), to make sure that you stay within your culture, appreciate the culture, and really take the time to really see how the world works outside of your own world in Montreal and Canada,” she said.

Khan went on to explain: “Our main objective is to really showcase designers who have either been in the industry for a long time, new designers that want to showcase their new bridal collections to show Montreal what they can offer in their own culture.”

Suhaila Niazi, Khan’s mother, is the founder of Al-Shakour and a veteran of Montreal’s fashion industry with over 26 years of experience.

When asked why she opted to participate in this inaugural fashion show for ZN Events, Niazi said: “Because my daughter was actually doing her first event with her friend and business partner, and I figured why not support her by giving a part of my collection to her to support her cause, which I think is fabulous.”

Sandhu weighs in on her upbringing: “I grew up very Quebecoise, but I always kept my roots and I want to kind of project it.”

Khan explained where the idea for the event came from: “Our idea for this event came from our love for all cultures, and we really wanted to do an event that really showcased a lot of cultures intertwined instead of just showcasing on one, like South Asian or Moroccan or Algerian, really to intertwine a lot of cultures, different communities, especially within Montreal.”

It was a mesmerizing showcase of couture from around the world, bringing together traditional and modern styles in a harmonious blend.

Sandhu spoke about the diversity of the event. “So you will see our entire lineup of fashion is more than eight to nine ethnicities of models itself. You will see it’s very variety, it’s amazing,” she said.

You can follow ZN Events on their Instagram and Tiktok accounts.