CFW 2017: Going beyond fashion
For the past 14 years, for a week in February or March, Colombo has been enjoying a taste of high fashion courtesy of the Colombo Fashion Week (CFW). In those 14 years, Sri Lankan designers have found their place in Colombo’s fashion scene. This year HSBC Colombo Fashion Week ventures to branch out from fashion and “jump start the art scene” says Director of CFW Holdings, Dirk Flamer-Caldera.
Under the theme of ‘Celebrating Colombo’, Fashion Week will be hosted at the Hilton Colombo from March 13 to 18 showcasing over 30 local and international designers. Established local names such as Darshi Keertisena, Ramona Oshini, Dimuth Sahabandu, Fouzul Hameed and Peronie Stefel will be sharing the runway with international designers, many of whom have been featured before at CFW namely, Gaetano Navarra, Abraham and Thakore, Agatha Ruiz De la Prada, Bibi Russell and RimZim Dadu.
CFW will be dedicating a day for ethical fashion when on March 17, they focus on sustainable fashion and collections which impact the industry positively. There will be emphasis on Batik in design, which Ajai Vir Singh, Founder of CFW, believes can become mainstream high fashion and be used by Sri Lanka to carve out a place for itself on the world stage.
Going beyond fashion, CFW will be collaborating with five Sri Lankan artists to create artwork inspired by fashion. This will be showcased on March 13 under the theme ‘Second Skin’. In addition CFW will be enlisting the help of film directors, who will work with designers to produce one minute shorts for the CFW Film Festival. The short films will explore the ideas and muses which inspired the designers’ collections.
‘Fashion + Food’, the CFW initiative that extends to the culinary world, will consist of fashion inspired curated menus, that promise to take diners on a gastronomical journey. These curated menus will be available from March 13 to 19, at Hilton Colombo’s Lab and Graze Kitchen, Cafe Francis by Pourcel, and Rare at Residence by Uga Escapes.
New York, Milan and London Fashion Weeks all show that fashion and tourism can be intrinsically linked. The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau will be partnering with CFW this year to promote the event on a regional level and firmly establish it as part of the Sri Lanka Tourism calender. Fashion TV, Harper’s Bazaar, as well as media outlets from China are expected to provide coverage. With CFW receiving international and regional attention, the organisers are hopeful of promoting Colombo as a lifestyle hub in the region.
CFW will be supported by multiple sponsors – the Official Jewellery Partner is Colombo Jewellery Stores, Official Beauty Partner Ponds, Official Hair and Make-up Partner Ramani Fernando Salons, Official Lifestyle Beverage Partner Wine World, Official Digital Solutions Provider Etisalat, Official Eyecare Partner Vision Care, Official Concierge Partner Quintessentially Sri Lanka, and Official PR partner Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and MSL Group.