Fresh off the ramp at this year’s IPL Fashion Show, Dimuthu Sahabandu is back on his old stamping ground at Melache in Colombo 5. Showing us around the boutique where his creations are sold along with a host of other Sri Lankan talent, he doesn’t hesitate to point out the other designers’ work as well as his own. His obvious enthusiasm for what he does is palpable, as we sit down amidst an ethereal selection of his beautiful, almost fluid creations.
So how did a Sri Lankan designer make it to the Indian extravaganza? His first collection, Gothra, (also his final project graduating from La Salle, Singapore) drew inspiration from the early man and the different tribal dress forms. Quickly earning recognition as a talented designer, his next stop was Colombo Fashion Week 2011, where he presented Narilatha, a collection based on the mythical transformation of a flower into a woman. It earned him the title of Pantene’s Gen Next Award, an accolade that also came with the ticket to the IPL fashion leagues. “Prasad Bidapa, who is the main guy behind CFW, took a liking to my work and invited me to present at the IPL fashion shows. Needless to say, I was thrilled!” he grins. “Showcasing my work in India has always been a dream, and it came about way sooner than I would’ve expected.”
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| Dimuth’s flowing styles on the ramp. Pix by Anushka Fernando |
He expanded on the Narilatha theme for IPL and says it was worth every second of it. “India was overwhelming. And the show itself was pretty big - you never knew what to expect. I created around 30 looks for IPL, and they were received very well.”
So well, in fact, that he was invited around for another round. This year, he was accompanied by a handful of other talented young designers, and once again they made Sri Lanka’s fashion industry proud. Dimuthu’s own pieces have been snapped up by stars including Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma, and Sonam Kapoor-a star brand of approval if any.
“Presenting to a foreign audience is rather different,” he muses. “Indian audiences are very patriotic - needless to say, their designers are incredible, and they always incorporate a little touch of their roots into their designs, so obviously audiences are very enthusiastic. When you’re from another country, it can take a while for them to tune into your work.”
He loved that audience, mind you. “When you show your work to an audience made up mainly of celebrities, film stars, singers and cricketers...well, that’s an experience to last a lifetime.”
Dimuthu’s affair with the visual arts began when he was a four-year-old enrolled in Sunanda Dissanayake’s art class. He continued the lessons throughout his years at D.S. Senanayake College up until he transferred to Gateway College, where he took on A’Levels in the Science stream. This brief respite from sketching made him realize where his calling lay, he says.
He never wanted the atypical 9-5 lifestyle, he adds. “I want flexibility, and change. A job where I was stuck at a desk in a tie definitely wouldn’t have suited.” The choice wasn’t an easy one, but once made, the rest was smooth sailing.
Dimuthu enrolled at the Academy of Design in 2006, to follow a foundation course and completed his Higher National Diploma in 2008, choosing to go to LaSalle in Singapore to complete his degree.
“I’m a strong believer that the different places you’ve been to makes you who you are,” says Dimuthu. “Singapore was a good place to be as a fashion designer.”
He came back to Sri Lanka in 2009, after which followed a stint with KT Brown as an Assistant Designer. His career as a solo fashion designer began when Melache offered him an opportunity to work with them.
Now he’s looking to draw on his IPL experience, to take his label international. As with any designer, he longs to be known not just for his work, but for the country that inspires him as well. |
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