Fashion fiesta

Ruwini Jayawardana

International designers at HSBC Colombo Fashion Week

* Bibi Russell from Bangladesh
* Rizwan Beyg from Pakistan
* Agatha Ruiz De La Prada from Spain
* Alecca Carrano from Italy
* Dimitris Zoz from Italy
* The Ultra from Malaysia
* Suneet Varma from India
* Gaurav Gupta from India
* Samant Chauhan from India
* Masaba from India
* Laskala from Sri Lanka
* Darshi of Buddhi Batiks
* Kanchana and Yolande
* Fahad Sherrif of Middle Finger
* Fouzal Hameed of FH Studio
* Stringhopper
* LICC
* Acushla
* Pearly King
* Sarani

Designers are busy putting finishing touches, models are attending fit-ons and Colombo is getting set to showcase South Asia’s only international fashion week at the Hilton Grand Ballroom from February 4 to 6.

The HSBC Colombo Fashion Week which is spearheaded by Ajai Virr Singh will bring forth South East Asia’s first ethical fashion week. Titled ‘Fashion ethical’, the event will unfurl on the second day of the HSBC Colombo Fashion Week and is a presented by ethical representation from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Malaysia.

Aimed at guiding and highlighting the talents of gifted young designers, the gala event will feature creations of around 22 local designers - the largest amount that had been featured at the event, and 12 renowned international couturiers. There will be local fashion retail, crafts and workshops while focusing on Batik, Beeralu and weaver communities. “Each year we work towards taking Sri Lankan fashion designs to the international platform and help them gain exposure to the foreign market. This gives them the opportunities to display their work at internationally reputed fashion shows,” Singh said.

He also added that new faces in the local design scene will be given a chance to unfurl their creativity on the ramp.

Last year’s event’s MOUs with international fashions weeks: Miami Fashion week, Russian Fashion Week, Malaysia Fashion Week, Dubai Fashion Festival and Pakistan Fashion Week went into implementation and only a few local fashion designers like Kanchana and Fouzal Hameed got a chance to exhibit their work.

The Trend Boutique (UK) Managing Director Sally Denton will arrive in Sri Lanka to conduct workshops on trends and business support for new designer labels.

HSBC’s Chief Executive Officer for Sri Lanka and Maldives Nick Nicolaou said that the event is one of the highlights in the industry’s fashion calendar. He noted that he hopes that the event will become a commercial success, giving the designer an opportunity to take their creations beyond the ramp.

HSBC, the title sponsor of the event has been associated with the Colombo Fashion Week since 2008.