An earthy splash: Swim Week Colombo
Dazzling the ramp “Swim Week Colombo” launched the first eco-ethical fashion week to be held in the Asian region, on Friday, June 30 with their ‘Green Conscious, Earth Sensitive’ theme.
First on the runway was the creative team of “Arugam Bay” presenting a vibrant collection – a fusion of nature prints and Aztec designs. The philosophy of the brand was visibly incorporated into the bathing suits, trunks and cover-ups capturing the essence of the east coast. The green initiative taken by Arugam Bay was seen in their use of quantifiable recycled fabrics made of plastic PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles which are a form of polyester (just like the clothing fabric). It was stated that 7 PET bottles were used to make a pair of Arugambay shorts! They also use a sublimation printing which significantly removes water usage out of the printing process.
Sharmila Rubero is no stranger to the local catwalk with her free-spirited “Meraki” label. This year Meraki channelled their inner ‘Mad Max Fury Road’ – dressing the models in thick moss green belts, black combat boots, and swimwear in muted shades of grey, greens, maroons etc. Their ‘No plastic Policy’ saw brass zippers or natural coconut shell buttons and tags made of recycled cardboard. The company believes in a fair wage system and community upliftment
Embodying the essence of the Island – Rum Punch came out with a collection for the carefree traveller – swimwear and beachwear (which included sheer wraparounds etc.) utilising fabric packaging bags, made by small rural communities.
The “Maus” collection was made from 100% organic cotton and natural dyes with biodegradable packaging. Maus showcases three collections each year– Summer, Monsoon and Fête, mainly complimenting our tropical climate. The collection – a fusion of red, black, grey, white block prints – were expertly enhanced with visors and headbands for sophistication.
Marrying traditional batik and contemporary swim wear, “La Pard” took on the green initiative by integrating natural cotton fibres to reduce the use of polyester fabrics, responsibly disposing the waste water from the batik dyeing process through adequate filtration systems and encouraging female empowerment. The swimwear was breezy as the almost kaftan like cover-ups billowed around the ankles of models.
KOCA by RN, inspired by the Jaesun dynasty art (Asian art from the Mid-18th to Early 19th Century had fabrics purchased from local shops as well as up cycling luxury sarees and shawls in the collection and the use of organic certified printing methods. KOCA also supports community growth by undertaking production in small-scale garment factories and using recycled materials in all packaging.
“Rachel Raj” takes pride in offering a range of luxury ready to-wear, free-size clothing for the everyday woman. Taking on a resort chic, this collection celebrates diversity and a funky, hip vibe with models dressed in their collection of recycled aluminium foil print metallic gold swimwear. The designer’s collection seemed to bring to life a somewhat similar costume design of the character ‘Foxxy Cleopatra (played by Beyonce Knowles Carter) infamous gold piece in the movie “Austin Powers in Goldmember”. The brand stresses use of non-toxic vegetable fabric dyes. All materials are hand painted and hand embroidered which reduces overall energy usage.
American based brand Hot-As-Hell’s (HAH)’s collection was inspired by the natural beauty of Mother Earth. Paradise Found (ParadisTrouvé) is symbolic of the brand’s roots in being a natural, ethical product for women – the collection consisting of a rich colour palate inspired by nature. HAH digitally prints its designs, which are original hand drawn prints featuring an array of flora and fauna – mainly birds! The collection was an assortment of elegant simplicity, blurring the lines between beachwear and lingerie – with corsets, lace, floral prints incorporated into what can be deemed as sophisticated swimwear.
Day one: Fusion to the fore
Hot as Hell
Meraki
KOCA
Arugam Bay
La Pard
Finale: A Lankan touch
Text by Kaveesha Fernando and pix by Indika Handuwala
The second and final day of the third edition of Swim Week Colombo saw lots of trendy, designs with a touch of Sri Lankan style. The show unfolded at the Hilton poolside, with the ramp designed as an anchor and the breeze blowing from the Beira lake giving the audience an ambience ideal for a show designed to present swimwear.
First up was Aviva by Prasad Bidapa. He showcased two collections – one in pink which had floral designs and similar designs in black. Both featured bikinis and one piece outfits, which proved how much of a difference colour can make on garments.
Stefel by Peronie Stefel featured digitally printed batiks with modern motifs – so modern in fact that some hardly looked like batik. A selection of bags and dresses for resort wear completed this collection.
Indian designer Ajay Kumar’s designs were somewhat unusual as models walked in wearing dresses and coats which contrasted with the breezy collections showcased by his fellow designers. A menswear brand, the designs for men seemed more unconventional than those which were worn by the women. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Ajay explained that he did not want to stick to the stereotype that women should wear more colourful and daring fashions than men.
Aqua Island by Linea Aqua started with colourful, beach friendly designs – the models geared in goggles and caps seemed almost ready to jump in for a swim. The men holding surf boards almost looked like they had walked out of a Sri Lankan version of Baywatch.
Darshi Keerthisena de Livera’s Buddhi Batiks collection had a much stronger batik look with the models walking to the beat of ‘How far I’ll go’ from the popular Disney film Moana followed by Queen’s popular hit ‘Under Pressure’.
Tropical by Spa Ceylon featured designs which were clearly Sri Lankan in style, albeit with a modern twist. Striding to the beat of a modernized version of a wannama the models in colourful resort wear looked every bit like tourists on their way for a dip in the pool.
Conscience by Ajai Vir Singh also featured modern designs in grey and green.Speaking about his collection , the founder of Colombo Fashion Week and Swim Week Colombo emphasised that ‘It’s not just pretty girls walking around’ and pointed out that Sri Lanka had a great market for cutting edge designer swimwear as it is a popular tourist destination .
Designs by international brand Heidi Klein made for exciting finale to this edition of Colombo Swim Week witn a collection in conventional colours and unconventional fabric highlighted with gold work.
Aqua Island
Buddhi Batiks
Conscience
Tropical by Spa Ceylon
Stefel
Invitees at Swim Week Colombo making a fashion statement.
Colombo Plan is 66!
Secretary General of the Colombo Plan Kinley Dorji hosted a reception at the Ballroom of the Hilton Residences last week to mark the 66th anniversary of the Colombo Plan in Sri Lanka.
Kinley Dorji
Crown Miss International: Grooming women as role models
CROWN Miss Intercontinental 2017, the national pageant organised by Exceptional Entertainment which will be held on September 24 at the Colombo Hilton has a collective of partners who believe that women have the potential to become role models and ambassadors for a cause.
Title Sponsor JAT Holdings, Managing Director of JAT Holdings Aelian Gunawardene says, “This year’s ‘Crown Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka’ will not be just a beauty pageant, but an opportunity for young ladies to further their knowledge and become leaders and shapers within this community.”
Currently in the process of designing and handcrafting a unique crown for Miss Intercontinental, Director of Tiesh – the Crown and Jewellery Sponsor of the show, Ayesh De Fonseka says, “We are convinced this pageant will be to international standards. Our partnership is about taking Sri Lanka to the world. With the country’s history in gems and jewellery going back centuries, we want to highlight that beauty and craftsmanship inherent in our genes through a crown that showcases the Sri Lankan look and feel.”
For the Hilton Colombo, the show’s hotel partner General Manager Manesh Fernando says being involved in Crown Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka means, “Encouraging young talent to enter pageants which will enable them to go through the process of building confidence and personality, culminating in a platform of elevating themselves to the next level.”
Choreographer, Lou Ching Wong is excited to be involved in the pageant. “With the beauty pageant industry growing but quality not improving on par, this pageant will set a very high standard to create a positive impression and reputation ensuring that pageants, participants and title holders get the respect they deserve.”
The man behind the lens Prishan Pandithage endorses National Director Joyce Gunawardene’s credentials saying, “Sri Lanka needs a classy international pageant and knowing this will be a cut above the rest is the reason I came on board. I will use my 20 years of experience to showcase exceptional and magical imagery that the contestants can build into a portfolio for their future use as well.”
Tanuja Perera and Hasitha Raymond of Kinetic Fitness who have trained models in the USA and UK will prepare the contestants for the world stage. “We know how seriously girls in these countries take their workout and diet plans. We intend assessing the delegates via measurements and body fat testing, individually guiding them on optimising their fitness levels incorporating strength elements including training, boxing, TRX and yoga for approximately 8 weeks prior to the finals,” they said.