HSBC Colombo Fashion Week in vogue again

By Sashini Rodrigo

After a necessary postponement due to the pandemic, HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) is back again for its 17th edition this weekend. From August 13 to 15, Sri Lanka’s best designers, both established and emerging, will be showcasing their latest collections on the runways.

This time, CFW introduces its brand new Responsibility in Fashion programme - a multi-pronged actionable approach towards responsibility, sustainability and circularity in the local fashion industry. Alongside their Garment Enhancement Guarantee, Garment Disposal Plan and Return-After-Use-for-Repurpose factors, the ‘Responsible Metre’ evaluation tool has also encouraged participating designers to take the journey towards responsibility in fashion.

The weekend kicked off with the Emerging Designers Showcase at the Shangri-La Colombo, where 13 up and coming young designers from CFW’s Emerging Designer Development Programme unveiled their collections to the world. In line with health and safety protocols, the guest list was limited and social distancing observed - with the focus now on livestreaming through CFW’s official website.

The thirteen emerging designers were Himashi Wijeweera, Nilusha Maddumage, Achala Leekoh, Harinda Gunawardena, Hirushi Jayathilake, Ranga Senavirathne, Udarika Dalugama, Joanne Kulamannage, Divya Jayawickrama, Thamoda Geegamage, Mikail Hameed, Chamanka Pehesara and Ayesh Wickramarathne. They presented creative, wearable collections made with eco-conscious production methods, with an emphasis on convertible and transformable pieces to ensure the garments’ longevity.

To access the livestreams for the upcoming Day 2 and Day 3 of CFW 2020, visit their official website colombofashionweek.com