House of Soli is facilitating a partnership between Halifax-based local designers and international fashion houses. One such partnership is Khush Mizaj and Parisian fashion house A.Kith for Paris Fashion Week.
“The collaboration grew from a shared vision of cultural exchange and creative dialogue. Amanda Simpson from Westwood Developments and I saw an opportunity to bring together designers with distinct voices to showcase how cross-border collaboration can elevate both craft and storytelling,” said Solitha Shortte, founder and CEO of Soli Productions.
“For us, diversity is not a box to check; it is embedded in our structure. We create space for talent to be seen and heard on their own terms, ensuring authentic representation rather than symbolic participation.”
Soli Productions said showcasing Halifax designers alongside global talent shows the city’s potential to shape international conversations in fashion.
“Showcasing Halifax talent in Paris demonstrates that creativity is not bound by geography; it belongs to those willing to take initiative and claim their place,” Shortte said.
For designer Sudha Hemnani, founder of Khush Mizaj, the collaboration represents a new milestone in her brand’s journey since its launch in 2021.
“Khush Mizaj was born from my passion for celebrating South Asian culture through fashion,” Hemnani said. “Growing up with Indian and Pakistani roots, I saw how clothing was more than fabric—it carried history, artistry, and emotion. When I moved to Canada, I wanted to create a brand that not only honoured traditional craftsmanship but also made it accessible and relevant for modern, diverse communities.”
Hemnani said having her fabrics featured on an international runway is both a personal and professional accomplishment.
“It’s an honour and a milestone. For me, as a South Asian woman carrying both Indian and Pakistani roots from my childhood in Pakistan to my journey across Dubai and now Canada, it is incredibly personal. For Khush Mizaj, it is a moment of validation—that our fabrics, stories, and artistry belong on global platforms. Paris Fashion Week is not just a runway; it is a voice, and to have ours included is truly humbling.”
She said working with Alice See, the founder and designer of A.Kith, has also opened new creative directions for her designs.
“Working with Alice challenges me to see my fabrics in new ways. Traditionally, they’ve been used in lehengas, sarees, or South Asian silhouettes. But in Alice’s hands, the same Indian and Pakistani fabrics transform into kimonos—suddenly, they’re global, versatile, and timeless. It pushes me to think beyond borders in how Khush Mizaj fabrics can be styled and worn.”
For See, the collaboration is an extension of her commitment to sustainable, small-batch production and global dialogue in fashion. The pieces are set to hit the runway on Oct. 4.
“It all came from the last Mills Halifax Fashion Week, I had a chance to see several local designers who care for sustainability, arts and craft,” she said. “The tag for my brand is ‘made with consciousness.’ I saw the fabrics from Khush Miza during the opening night at Richmond Yards, the way it flows, the fact that it is made with small production, ethical, and it matched what I believe in, and that is the way the collaboration came about.”
See said she hopes Paris audiences will connect with both the artistry and cultural exchange behind the collection.
“I hope they will be surprised, and I hope they will be shocked in a good way with the artistry of the fabrics and the time, and the diversity that we can see woven into the fabric of our collaboration. I want people to be fascinated by these garments going down the runway on the Soli Models.”
For See, Paris Fashion Week is also a personal dream realized.
“It is a dream come true for me to do this for the second time. When I started two years ago, I wasn’t really thinking about fashion shows. I was not thinking about having a show, but then when I met Solitha, it started picking up, and I feel very honoured to be doing this,” she said.
See is looking forward to working with models from Soli Management in Halifax and other international models for her fashion show.
“It means that as a new brand, your age as a designer doesn’t mean anything; you can chase your dream. I just turned 51, and here I am chasing my dream, and you determine the course of your life. I named my brand after my mother, and the name is to honour, it means a lot to have my show at PFW, and it means a lot to me. I want to tell people to dare to do things, dare to do what you want to do.”
