Sunday Times 2
Barefoot celebrates 50 years
View(s):Barefoot (PVT) Ltd, a shop that has something for everyone, celebrates 50 years.
Barbara Sansoni at work
Well known for its handloom fabric, Barefoot was founded by Barbara Sansoni, an artist, writer and designer.
Barefoot’s shops sell alongside their own brand, a wide range of carefully selected local products. Barefoot under the guidance of Dominic Sansoni’s fosters creativity in all its in house designers, artisans and suppliers resulting in original and exciting products and inspiring Sri Lanka’s creative community.
At the heart of the Barefoot range are Barefoot textiles, with which the whole story began. Hand woven in a variety of textures they are known for the use of vivid, vibrant, colour. Created by a dedicated team of designers, weavers and dyers, Barefoot designs are inspired by the colours of Sri Lanka- the blue oceans or the green paddy fields or the golden sun.
Barefoot toys are carefully crafted and simply adorable. Barefoot mice are one of Barbara’s oldest designs and are an enduring favourite. But there’s much more – just about every animal you can think of from elephants to penguins,
Simply adorable: Barefoot mice
monkeys to octopi, and lizards to frog princes.
The Barefoot Bookshop provides of exquisitely chosen selection of books to suit a variety of interests.
Barefoot also offers several brands of luxury Ceylon Teas, quality Sri Lankan spices delicious and chutneys, jams, love cake and milk toffee.
And when you’re tired out after a hard day’s shopping, the Barefoot Café, nestled in a frangipani garden at the back of the shop, is the perfect place to unwind and recover.
Adjoining the Café is the Barefoot Gallery, which regularly hosts exhibitions by some of Sri Lanka’s most talented artists. Above the gallery is the newly opened print gallery which sells photographs by the Three Blind Men, Dominic Sansoni, Sebastian Possingis and Rukshan Jayawardene.