Rising stars set the look for CFW summer 2024
View(s):By Shannon Salgadoe and Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Colombo Fashion Week’s (CFW) Summer 2024 opening night on March 6 at the Galle Face Hotel brought out the future of fashion in the Emerging Designer showcase. Ten designers were selected from a shortlist of 22 from within the CFW programme which shines the spotlight on the industry’s rising stars.
The 21st edition of CFW also looked to promoting the city of Colombo as a happening destination, with events taking place across three venues, the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Taj Samudra, as well as the Galle Face Hotel.
Opening the Emerging Designer showcase was Gayanth Karunarathne, with ‘Mid-Summer Romance’. Clothing in shades of pink – both bright and saccharine, bright yellows and whites conveyed the optimism of love with a mix of contrasting silhouettes channelling its enduring power, signature embroidery and embellishments embodying its delicate resilience.
Devapriya Halwala presented ‘Kabuto’ his latest collection for his label ‘Hala’, which incorporates natural fabrics and hand embroidery functionally and decoratively. This collection inspired by the ancient art of origami, mimicked its structural folds and shapes with detailed hand embroidery and geometric forms on a black canvas.
Making her debut with ‘Stitched Stories’, designer Prathibha Liyanarachchi was inspired by the tapestry of indigenous crafts and the city’s vibrant traditions. Her collection of womenswear and menswear had a cohesive look with its multi-textural fabrics and three-dimensional applique and embroidery in colours that ranged from muted pastels to more vibrant blues and oranges.
In a heartfelt tribute to her family and her Sri Lankan heritage, Mevini Amarasinghe’s ‘SENDISI’, blended the old and new with innovative draping and cuts while the vibrant hues, intricate motifs and elegant batiks made for a collection that appeals to all.
A graduate of NIBM-Limkokwing University of Malaysia, Navodya Janith’s label, NJ Designer Wear, fuses Sri Lankan heritage with contemporary style while promoting ethical high fashion. His spring-summer 2024 collection consisted of formal wear with ruching, detailing, and embellishments inspired by a unique blend of lotus and dried leaves, reflected in the light pinks, blue-greys mingled with dramatic blacks.
Chihiro Fernando used vivid colours and batik prints in her eyecatching collection ‘Kriya 2024’, a collection for both men and women inspired by the notion of a resilient tree, persevering despite the challenges of nature.
The powerful sisters who personify destiny in the Greek myth of the Moirae, or the Fates as they are better known, served as inspiration for Maleesha Perera’s collection ‘Moirae’, which featured hand-drawn prints on luxurious fabrics.Another designer who looked to mythology for inspiration was Aysha Faizer, whose collection ‘Ethereal’ was inspired by the mythical ‘Siththira Kala Serapendiya’, a lion-swan said to embody strength and elegance. With a palette of terracotta, green, white and copper, Aiysha utilised the century-old technique of block printing to add depth and character to what were earthy and elegant designs.
Italian Giada Zanotti, winner of Best Graduate Collection for IUAD Milano, showcased her capsule collection which drew inspiration from the adversity faced by women in the past. Using the powerful hues of red and black, along with manipulated fabrics and intricate knitting, Giada ensured her dramatic collection would be a thought-provoking conversation starter.
Closing the night with a celebration of femininity with the form and fit of each design, Arsath Furkhan’s ‘Ara’ blurred the lines between reality and imagination with his elegant designs.
Day Two of CFW on Thursday at the Taj Samudra Hotel featured the stunning collections of five designers, both local and international. Amilani Perera kicked off the evening with a collection that celebrated International Women’s Day, inspired by the Kadupul flower and its fleeting beauty and resilience.
Amilani’s brand is known for its unique design techniques and for giving back to society by being a voice for women in need in Sri Lanka, empowering survivors of violence by engaging them in product development. The designs started on the subdued end of the colour spectrum, with the recurring floral motif printed on shades of pale yellow, pink, blue, and white becoming progressively moodier and more intricate.
Next came the Bengaluru-based designer, Manoviraj Khosla, acclaimed for his impeccably tailored designs which are fundamentally Indian with a hint of Western influence. Bridging the gap between high-end design and wearability, his collection of predominantly menswear, featured elegant jackets, tunics and sherwanis in varying hues, textures and prints. Many of the designs were opulently embellished or embroidered, while others had fabrics of varying textures such as wool, seamlessly juxtaposed with leather.
Kamil Hewavitharana known for his Limak label of glamorously constructed designs, drew inspiration from the protea flower of South Africa, which dates back a staggering 300 million years, looking to highlight its resilience and transformation to mirror the innate strength and tenacity of women. As with his previous collection, Kamil’s collaboration with Skanda allowed for the incorporation of stunning batik fabrics into his designs, perfectly capturing the botanical palette of cool reds, verdant greens, and rich purples.
A revolutionary of Bangladeshi fashion who merges tradition with innovation, Afsana’s work epitomises sustainable fashion and her cultural heritage. Her collection titled ‘Emotional Weaves in Khadi Textiles’ consisted of designs created using fabric manipulation, complemented with traditional Bengali Tepa clay doll masks.
Closing the runway show with a showstopping segment was dynamic duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore whose collection was a masterclass in fabric development with a blend of tradition and modernity. In this minimalistic palette of black and white, the fabrics incorporated typographic prints, braille, binary, and Morse codes. The designs had either a subtle or overt running theme of one or more of these languages – some made from a fabric printed with the ones and zeros of binary code, a sari with Morse code in sequins, or another that had calligraphy cut into its fabric using lasers.
Fashionistas can grab these cutting edge designs, straight off the runway at CFW’s Designer Retail Pop-up at Cinnamon Grand Colombo today.
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