CFW: Show-stopping finales on both days
The Summer edition of HSBC’s Colombo Fashion Week 2022 wrapped up last weekend with a bevy of designers –Dimuthu Sahabandu, Divya Ninety-Three, Limak by Kamil, Lovi Ceylon, Urvashi Kaur, Achala Leekoh and Amilani Perera showing on Day 2 and Sonali Dharmawardena, Agara by Nilu, Himashi Wijeweera, Sukhet Dhir, Zaheer Abbas, Charini, FH by Hameedia and Indi taking the ramp on Day 3.
Indian designers Sukhetdir and Uravashi Kaur unveiled stunning collections with Greek Gods and Olympus inspiring the former and minimal and structural designs the latter. Pakistani designer Zaheer Abbas also put up an impressive collection on a black and gold theme.
Among the local designers Charini Suriyage explored Sri Lanka’s bird species using both form and dimension to lift these pieces to another level, with wildlife photographer Sarinda Unamboowa’s pictures for her prints. Kamil Hewavitharana’s tie dye collection was also inspired by local landscapes, while Dimuthu Sahabandu’s ethereal collection of evening wear channelled inspiration from the singing sirens of Greek mythology.
The finales on both days stole the show. In collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Amilani Perera once again turned the spotlight on the issue of violence against women focusing on uplifting those who may be too afraid to speak out through her ‘Heal collection’. Pointing out that the only right answer to the inevitable question of “what were you wearing” is the answer “why does it matter”, the show was both moving and eye-opening with the model centrestage removing pieces of clothing one by one to reveal different women and girls from businesswomen, schoolgirls and gymnasts who face undeserved violence. Amilani incorporated handloom fabrics along with prints and embroidery created using palm prints of those who had survived violence from the Women’s Development Centre in Kandy to drive home the message.
Ending the 19th edition of CFW with an absolute showstopper, Indi Yapa’s collection was created around the
people, culture and traditions of
Sri Lanka’s north. To the steady beat of traditional drums that started off the show and an upbeat performance by the ADK band, Indi’s collection with dramatic capes, floral silhouettes and dazzling sequin pieces in colours that popped, was arresting. The collection also featured models Shan de Silva and Tymeron Carvalho breaking stereotypes and pushing the local fashion industry to be accepting of all identities and gender fluidity–the designer herself making a statement of identifying with the culture of the North with the signature ‘pottu’ on her forehead
| CFW on controversy over ‘Panther’ collection | |
| A different buzz off the ramp emerged on social media over the ‘Panther’ collection presented at CFW’s Emerging Designer showcase on Day 1 with furious fashion followers pointing out that the designer had ‘borrowed’ from Christian Dior’s iconic Toile de Jouy motif with no proper accreditation nor acknowledgement given to Dior while others questioned how this had slipped past the CFW design mentors. Responding to The Sunday Times on the controversy, the CFW management team said that CFW as a development based organisation has worked closely in developing designers since its inception from Darshi Keerthisena in 2007, Sonali Dharmawardena in 2010, and more recently Dimuthu Sahabandu, Charini and others from the design schools. “CFW grooms, mentors and inculcates a culture of relevance in their design sensibility so that they create strong collections but we don’t design their collections. We trust designers to create. Fashion has come down the ages, thousand of years and in a modern sense we can still call 200 years relevant, but we don’t archive all here. We look at the strength of idea, collection planning, quality finishing and presentation. And make it clear to designers to not pick up anything from the web but create. And we trust designers to work with integrity, we don’t police them.” The CFW team added that every year was a learning curve and they would keep this in mind when mentoring designers in the future. “We will not name and shame and hurt a young career who can surely learn from this and correct themselves. We will give them a chance.” The designer declined to comment.
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