Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Pretty pink
By Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne

Her business cards are a shocking pink. “Well,” grins Shehara Dias, “It happens to be my favourite colour!”

Meet Shehara Dias, entrepreneur, fashion designer and the owner of a new clothing store for women called ‘Pink as Pink’. “Initially, I just wanted to stick to plain old Pink but Pink as Pink it became.”

The line of clothing, which was introduced just a few weeks ago, is in Shehara’s own words “Feminine, fresh, retro, hip, exclusive and just plain fun! That’s what goes with the colour pink!” And the response thus far? “Great, it’s very encouraging.”

Whilst the designs are conjured up by Shehara (and modelled here by her too), the sewing part of it is outsourced to a factory. But the merchandise in itself is exclusive, for she turns out only a limited number of pieces per style. “Colombo society is very small and I have found that people are wary of being spotted in the same attire in the same place.”

This principle applies to her other line as well, which is handbags. The handbags are individually crafted using vintage, recycled fabrics and only a limited number is turned out in keeping with the exclusive nature of the boutique.

“I always wanted to be a designer,” smiles Shehara, a past pupil of both Bishop’s College and Colombo International School. “Once I had completed my secondary education, I went to the United Kingdom to read for a sociology degree at the University of Surrey.” Why sociology? “I wanted to start off with a general degree that would give me a wide scope and once I completed it I came back to Sri Lanka.”

It was then that she decided to make a full study of all the technicalities associated with the ‘rag trade’. “I joined Slimline as a Trainee Merchandiser and was given an insight into fashion merchandising.” Then it was on to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, in Los Angeles, California, where she took up her books once again to study for a Degree in Fashion Merchandising.

“It was in the States that I managed to get a feel of the sales aspect of the trade,” she continues saying that the work provided her with hands-on experience of working with would-be clients and getting a feel of the buying aspect of things.

“I got back to Sri Lanka in November 2000 and worked at the buying office of May Department Stores as a merchandiser and after giving it a lot of thought, decided that it was now time to venture out on my own.” And so she did. Thanks to her experience of seven years in nearly all aspects of the trade, she was soon able to launch her own exclusive boutique.

Where does she derive her inspiration from? “Everything actually, but I think I am greatly influenced by the 1950s, which I believe to be one of THE periods of fashion. I find that I generally stick to reworking old patterns,” she says. Patchwork is one of her favourites. “There’s so much that can be done with these seemingly old trends,” she says pointing out a simple top completely patch worked in a range of soft flower prints.

“I believe heavily in making and designing clothes that need not be chucked to the bottom of the pile once the season is out, so the designs and thereby the clothes are wearable and timeless. A very ‘girly’ looking halter necked dress in a shade of pink catches one’s eye. It’s well complemented by a printed handbag embellished with large pink flowers on a black background. “It’s simple but dressy.”

But that’s not all. There’s a collection of lovely white tops in all shapes and sizes to choose from. “You can dress them up or down. I’ve always loved fashion and always looked out for it and I think that’s what drove me into this. You’ve got to wear what suits you and your personality. Accessorise. It can do wonders,” she smiles.

According to Shehara, “Everything depends on how you wear something. It needn’t be the trendiest thing, it just depends on how the person wearing it carries it off.” The boutique currently stocks a wide range of women’s wear. Casual and semi casual tops take pride of place. “I’m working mainly on a range of dressier tops that girls and women can wear out in the night.” In keeping with her ideal it seems only apt that the boutique is located down a quiet street in the heart of Colombo 3.

“I always wanted my store to be located on its own for I believe that if the merchandise is worth buying, the customers will go to the merchandise and not vice versa. I do that myself!” Describe the range, I say and she smiles,“It’s pink, that’s the only colour and the only word that can capture the flavour of my work!”

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