France and fashion are a natural pairing so when Syrine Rajeh proposed a showcase of Bermuda designers as a fundraiser for Alliance Française des Bermudes, the idea took off. Fashion Fusion: Bermuda Meets France takes place tonight at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo.

On the catwalk will be a new, French-inspired collection by Aqua Designs along with ready-to-wear collections and accessories for men, women and children by Dana Cooper, Delle Valle, Ems Gems Jewellery, La Petite Soirée, Rebecca Little Jewellery and Threadneedle Studio.

The designers will be present to meet the guests, and their collections will be on sale. Meanwhile, there will be complimentary beverages and canapés, goodie bags and a chance to win prizes.

Ms Rajeh, a board member of Alliance Française, invited a group of women to her home last year as a way of introducing them to Nicola Lucas, of Aqua Designs.

The pair had become friendly through their children who were in school together.

“She asked if I would be willing to do a trunk show for her at my house. She knows I love to organise events and things like that and she thought this could be an intimate group over for a coffee morning or a wine and cheese or whatever.

“I did that for her in the spring of last year with about maybe 15 ladies and it was really fun.”

Through conversations about potential future events, the idea of a collaboration with the Alliance Française was born. It wasn’t instantly a done deal.

“From the Alliance Française perspective, it has to make sense for us. As an organisation, we really champion French culture and the French language, so we had to kind of find a way to tie it into a fashion show,” she said.

“I’m on the committee of the Alliance Française. I'm actually the treasurer, but I love to organise events. And because, I guess, I was the point of contact, I was the one who brought this to the committee to see if they thought it would be a good idea, I kind of took the lead, just because I knew Nicola and I had done something kind of similar before.”

In brainstorming, they realised the Cannes Film Festival would run a week before their intended date, and decided a red carpet event would be appropriate. Ms Lucas then designed a new collection, “with a French flair”.

“What she's going to be launching at the show is going to look a bit different from what she's done previously,” Ms Rajeh said.

To make it even livelier they decided to invite a handful of other designers to display their products.

“We're also doing a cocktail party. We are encouraging guests to dress up and we're gonna have a red carpet at the entrance. [Alliance Française board member] Nolwenn [Pugi] is going to be our photographer.

“She's going to have a backdrop and take photographs of the guests as they come into the Aquarium hall, where we will also have a red carpet as the runway, and then rows of chairs on each side,” she explained.

“People will come in, do their pictures, and then come and sit down, and then the models will walk the runway.”

Born in Paris, France, Ms Rajeh said the event was a fitting nod to the language of a country widely associated with style.

“France, in general, is known to have a reputation for good fashion. We have lots of events throughout the year, but we've never done a fashion-related event.

“We just saw this as an opportunity to think outside of the box and do something to bring the whole community together. Anyone can attend. They don’t necessarily have to be French speaking. We’re just celebrating French culture and fashion.”

The Alliance Française was founded in 1999 to promote “French language and culture throughout Bermuda, offering educational programmes, cultural events, scholarship opportunities and French film screenings”.

The funds raised will go towards the scholarships that the charity offers each year. Five students are chosen for a three-week immersion programme in France, to improve their language skills.

“We also do lots of local events that are open to the community to promote the French language.

“We do French movies once a month at the BUEI, we do wine tastings, we hold events around the holidays, when the French rugby team is in town, we host an event for the community to meet the team … things like that.”

• Fashion Fusion: Bermuda Meets France begins at 7pm at Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo. Tickets are available atbdatix.bm. For more information on the Alliance Française visit www.alliancefrancaisebda.org or send an e-mail: alliancefrancaisebda@gmail.com. Follow alliancefrancaisebda on LinkedIn and Facebook