CFW day 4: Grand finale

By Sashini Rodrigo

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Sonali Dharmawardena

Colombo Fashion Week 2019 ended with an evening characterised by grandeur and glamour at the Hilton Colombo, as the final six designers presented their summer season collections.

Sonali Dharmawardena combined the art of batik with well-constructed pieces, using a simple colour palette to make the nature-inspired prints and pops of fuschia stand out. Structured ruffles, voluminous sleeves and billowing fabrics showed her elegant flair, and interesting choices like pairing sarees with infinity scarves kept it contemporary.

Indi Yapa Abeywardene incorporated Beeralu and bobbin lace art into global fashion trends to create the ‘Next 15 – Attitude Collection’. Colourful bohemian prints and mandalas on block-coloured silks and tulle were complemented by intricate beading and lacework.

The showstopper piece encapsulated the collection perfectly, as Miss World Sri Lanka for 2018 Nadia Gyi walked the runway in a full length A-line skirt with red lace bralette and matching lace-striped cape.

Next was Asanka de Mel’s LOVI Ceylon, who drew inspiration from our ancient Royal heritage to create the cosmopolitan ‘Rise’collection. The trademark modern sarongs featured bold stripes and LOVI Ceylon branding in a variety of rich natural tones, paired with matching jackets, shirts and crop tops.

Charini Suriyage’s ‘Ethereal Wildness’ collection encapsulated the luxurious aspects of Sri Lanka’s tourist appeal and wildlife attractions. Batik prints of flowers and animal prints were paired with bold red and black, while dramatic black ruffles accentuated the edgy yet sophisticated feel the name suggests.

Fouzul Hameed added a modern touch to a classic man in ‘Evolution of Man’ using a variety of fabrics, textures and shades of black to create impeccably constructed pieces, in eye-catching patterns and chain detailing.

Indian designer Rajesh Pratap Singh closed the show with an outstanding collection that combined traditional Indian design aesthetics with international silhouettes.The collection opened with all white pieces that were deceptive in their simplicity, and ventured into vivid colours and a gradual incorporation of gold.

Ayesh Wickramarathne was announced as the winner of the NEXT Award for the most high-potential designer in the Emerging Designers programme as CFW closed an exciting week that will no doubt influence this season’s trends.