HSBC Colombo Fashion Week 2009 will be held on February 19, 20 and 21, with 14 Sri Lankan designers and seven international designers showcasing their creations to an exclusive invitees –only audience.
The concept of a fashion week - the most glamorous business presentation usually makes way for a retail cycle for fashion consumers.
Designers usually create six collections; three main seasonal collections and three sub collections.
Their collections are presented to prospective fashion buyers at fashion weeks, opening doors for consumers to buy these collections.
In Sri Lanka the opportunities for consumers to buy Sri Lankan designer collections are rare as only a few key Sri Lankan designer- owned boutiques, collectively retail multi-Sri Lankan designer collections.
“This is an important step as we are eager to have Sri Lankan designers sell their collections to Sri Lankan consumers, exactly how it is done overseas. The commerce has to start or it will just be a souvenir style selling,” Ajai Singh – Founder of Colombo Fashion Week said.
In addition to Aashkii, Anmol, Trunk and Odel, there will be three buyers from India. Buyers remain a big attraction for designers participating at fashion weeks. In total there will be 25 collections that will be shown at the HSBC Colombo Fashion Week over three evenings.
Another development is the planned tie-up with Dubai Fashion Week, exposing Sri Lankan fashion design to this international arena.
The tie-up involves one selected designer from Colombo Fashion Week showcasing his/her collection at the Dubai Fashion Week and Dubai doing the same. This would also involve mutual promotions for the two events as well.
Meanwhile the foreign designers such as Raghuvendra Rathore, Sanchita Ajjampur from India, Rizwan Beyg from Pakistan and Bibi Russell from Bangladesh will all be present at the Colombo Fashion Week.
The other international designers are Manoviraj Khosla and Tahera from India, and Emdad from Bangladesh.
Kanchana, Sarani, Charani, LICC who are new to the field and four other collections will be unveiled during the show, Consultant to Colombo Fashion Week, Prasad Bidapa said. Among the well-known local names who will showcase their designs at the Fashion Week 2009 are Prabath, Middle Finger, Yoland Aluvihare, Sonali White, Asanga and Darshi Keertisena. |
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