Apparel Buzz

Sri Lanka’s multi-billion dollar fashion manufacturing industry, known to be the largest export revenue maker for the island, is world-renowned for its ethically fortified and environmentally conscious practices. This remarkable industry is also rapidly expanding its strength in design and creative led development.

Board of Investment acting Chairman and a member of the Apparel Association Channa Palansooriya said that the internal conflicts in Bangladesh has increased the demand for Sri Lankan apparels, but the local industry was facing a severe shortage of workers.

Fashion designer Lonali Rodrigo is buzzing with energy and in the midst of completing too many tasks at the Academy of Design (AOD International Design Campus). As a finalist in last year’s Venture Engine competition for emerging entrepreneurs, Lonali was able to establish her own label – Lonali – with the sponsoring and mentoring she received. Today, she works out of a small office at her alma mater, made possible by the institute’s Centre for Creative Entrepreneurs, which provides Lonali and two other designers the space to run their businesses.

“With more and more industries in Sri Lanka, recognizing the value added by design to industries, ‘design’ is certainly becoming the most talked about value addition for new businesses or for the enhancement of a current one to a new league” says award winning

Sri Lanka's Brandix, an apparel export group has appointed Priyan Fernando, a New York based banker working for American Express as its chairman. Fernando had previously been a non-executive director.

Polytex Garments Ltd., a part of the global apparel giant the Esquel Group, has been an integral part of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry for the last 36 years, and continues to grow from strength to strength.

Khogy, tuna skin skirt
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Fashion is an outlet for the ideas and vision we have of the world. As such, awareness is the quintessential fashion must-have and Sri Lanka understands this well. As a country that has gone through many challenges, Sri Lanka has managed to turn fashion into a model of sustainability and its designers are emerging to the world as an example that the fashion industry can achieve a higher purpose that can even transform lives.

Textured Jersey Lanka PLC (TJL), Sri Lanka’s leading provider of knit fabric, has delivered an impressive Rs. 1.02 b in net profit for the full year ended 31 March 2013 (FY2012/13), an increase of 62% year-on-year, as per the latest results released to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

Three young designers showcase their versatility in ethical wear
Lonali Rodrigo is happiest when snipping away at industry castoffs. She plays with different textures-men’s trousers transformed into exquisite pants, cast off buttons made into statement pieces, label waste patch-worked into a garment, pyjamas transformed into a fashion statement that would next be spotted at a corporate function. they’re almost 100% recycled garments, sustainable to boot.

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announced that Sri Lankan company MAS Brands Ltd., producer of the premium lingerie brand amanté, has implemented IFS Applications across its organiaation. The IFS solution was implemented in two months to ensure quick time to value and a low total cost of ownership.

Talent and oomph were on abundant display when apparel factory workers transformed into singing sensations at the grand Season One final of the ‘Brandix Rasadiya Gee Tharuwa’ talent contest at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium recently.

Designed by renowned men’s fashion consultant Fouzul Hameed, the FH Studio collection featured two special collections at the recently concluded HSBC Colombo Fashion Week. The two collections named ‘Red Carpet Tuxedo’ and ‘Luxury Wedding’, featured trendsetting red carpet looks and wedding attire, exclusively designed for men.

Melache together with the Academy of Design, Colombo showcased the first ever retail venture of three fashion designers working in sustainable and ethical fashion on April 6. The Spring/Summer 2013 collections by Lonali Rodrigo, Nithya Lamahewa and Prabath Samarasooriya highlighted clothing made from handloom, recycled industrial fabric and batiks. All three of them were selected to show their collections at the London Fashion Week 2013 International Showcase this February.

A decade of experience spoke for itself when the organizers of Colombo Fashion Week 2013 choseDarshi Keerthisena to close the show on Day 3. The It Girl of batik chose a stunning variety of colours forher collection, with the saris (of course) the most striking of these.

The HSBC Colombo Fashion Week, billed as the highlight of the country’s fashion calendar proudly launched its tenth edition at the Colombo Hilton Grand Ballroom on April 3.

In a significant development for Sri Lanka’s apparel industry, for the first time, Sri Lanka’s SME apparel exporters are to be linked to the much awaited global customs electronic system.

Top apparel exporter Brandix Lanka Ltd. CEO Ashroff Omar, last week declared that there was no reason for doom and gloom in the industry. Making the keynote speech at the Sri Lanka Apparel Sourcing Association's (SLASA) 20th AGM  Omar expressed the belief that there was no reason for doom and gloom in the industry, based on statistics despite a global slowdown in key export markets.

The colourful and upbeat collection inspired by hearts, flowers and all things bright by celebrated Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada opened Colombo’s much-awaited fashion extravaganza, HSBC Colombo Fashion Week 2013, last night at the Hilton Colombo.

Colombo is ready to host the much-awaited display of colour and design as the premier fashion event of the country, HSBC Colombo Fashion Week, unfolds its three-day extravaganza at Hilton Colombo today.

NDB initiates livelihood development for handloom industry

Furthering its efforts to revive distinctive local industries of Sri Lanka, NDB recently initiated a special development program aimed at rebuilding the defunct handloom textile industry. The pilot project of a long term development program was launched in the Kuleegama village, Divulapititya of the Gampaha District which has once been renowned for its handloom products.