Como: One of a kind fashion destination
For Madhu Wijesinghe, stitching is a skill that she learned at her mother’s knee. Her interest in sewing started when she made alterations in her own clothes as a child.
Today, as the founder of her own clothing line, COMO Apparels, Madhu is ever grateful for her parents, Irangani and Sunil Wijesinghe for inspiring her to become a designer and entrepreneur.
Madhu’s parents having been heavily involved in the export garment industry since 1986, owned three garment factories under the trade name Imperial Garments in Kadawatha with around 750 employees working in each factory. With over twenty years of experience in the field, fashionable clothing was something which Madhu was vastly familiar with.
“Back then, our factories mainly produced winter jackets, skirts and pants,” says Madhu comparing those years with modern times where a huge local demand for versatile garments exists. “People are very conscious of dressing nicely and fashionably nowadays.”
Being a past student of Asian International School Colombo and a graduate of London School of Economics (LSE), Madhu dreamt of starting her own clothing line and boutique store. “I wanted to do what my mother did and I always had the passion for that,” says Madhu recalling her earliest stitching lessons on embroidery, designing, cutting fabrics under Kanthi Gunasekara.
Madhu initiated her project with online marketing via Facebook in November last year doing a model shoot to display her clothes. “It was just to see how the local fashion market was, and I wanted to try something out,” Madhu says. Receiving rave reviews from her clientele, they began asking for a store where they could visit and that’s when Madhu thought “why not expand the clothing line.”
Madhu Wijesinghe
COMO – a one of a kind fashion destination features exclusive party wear to casual daily wear, derives its name from the initials of the names of Madhu’s beloved family members- Chameen, her husband, Omara, her 4 year-old daughter and Madhu herself.
‘One piece – One design’ is the hallmark of COMO, Madhu’s clothing store, which was opened early this month. “I wanted to feature something unique in my collection,” Madhu says as her store showcases a maximum of 15-17 pieces from each design, having around 3 pieces per size of Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large.
Her special custom made designer collection which is on display, features her own designs and fabric choices. Skirts, jackets, dresses and lehengas adorned in elegant quality materials of brocade, embroidered cotton, silk and cutwork fabrics, serve exquisite party wear needs of women and teenagers. Having a small group of employees working on the special collection at her residence down Ward Place, Madhu also takes orders for customized sari and jacket designing.
A glimpse of the COMO clothing line
COMO’s line also includes a lavish collection of party dresses in stylish embroidery net and shimmering sequin materials.
The casual collection of versatile tops, blouses, t-shirts, casual office wear- miniskirts, tight skirts, dresses, pants and casual cotton wear is reasonably priced and serves comfortable casual daily wear needs of the clientele along with a batik sari collection available at the store.
COMO is located at No, 73, Ward Place, Colombo 7. Open from 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. including Poya days. Follow COMO Apparels on Facebook and on como.apparels on Instagram for their latest collections.
At the launch
Madhu (right) with Rosie Senanayake at the opening