Arts
Dressing up a confident woman
- Bold designs on black: This slit dress created during Twinkle’s time studying in India was inspired by red carpet looks that celebrities and role models she looked upto wore while adding elements that made it her own. Pix by Sameera Weerasekera
“The inspiration for my dresses is all about how I like to express myself. I want to give women dresses that they will feel confident in, the way I feel confident in what I wear,” says 24-year-old Miss Sri Lanka for Miss Intercontinental 2019, Twinkle Madhuri Goonathilleke who is looking forward to launching her own designer label soon.
It was in 2007, when seeing her sketching in a notebook, that Twinkle’s mother recognising her daughter’s ability insisted that she take part in a fashion designing competition advertised in a newspaper. The youngest among a hundred contestants, 10-year-old Twinkle won the Youngest Fashion Designer award at the Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year show which led her to make her career choice right then and there.
After finishing her schooling at Visakha Vidyalaya, Twinkle went on to the Indian Institute of Fashion Designing where she trained under designers Gagan Kumar, Rina Dhaka, Ruchi Kothari, Sandiip Srivaastav and also ventured into modelling – taking the ramp for the Reliance Deccan Herald Bangalore and India Glam Fashion Week 2018 shows.
Thereafter, she was sent for an internship to the Paris-American Academy in France where she was under the tutelage of designer Manish Arora. On her return to Sri Lanka, Twinkle took up modelling gigs for brands, TV shows and more all while working on developing her brand.
“I wanted to start my own thing and build my own brand,” Twinkle says adding that at the moment everything including the brand name is under wraps. However, she shares that the concept is all about empowering women. “It’s going to revolve around women in charge who will be able to wear my designs and feel classy, elegant and sophisticated.”
She hopes to cater to a local clientele while also tapping into the international market.
India, France and Sri Lanka all have different cultures and styles, Twinkle says when asked whether she draws inspiration from the countries she has studied in. From the colourful patterns in India, traditional silhouettes of Sri Lanka and the haute couture of France, she aims to create a connection between them while adding her own personal flair to the designs.
The last year saw Twinkle also make strides as a beauty queen, being crowned Miss Sri Lanka for Miss Intercontinental 2019. It was a fairytale moment having former Miss Intercontinental Karen Gallman crown her. After a whirlwind experience at the international pageant with 90 other contestants in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, her post-pageant experience however has been curtailed but for now she is looking forward to her next big challenge – launching her own designer brand hopefully by the end of this year or early 2021.
Radiant in red
Pretty in pink: This dress can be worn casually or dressed up for occasion wear