Swim Week Colombo : Day Two 

Swim Week Colombo wrapped up it's final day at the ECT Terminal at the Colombo Port, with eight incredible collections on the ramp.

Arugam Bay 

A well-known brand in Sri Lanka, Arugam Bay draws its inspiration from the magical East Coast of our country. With stripes and anchors as its core inspiration, the collection embodied a truly Sri Lankan touch to it.

“I thought the collection was very well received. This was my very first attempt at a women’s swimwear collection so I played it safe. The stripes came through the eye of the Arugam Bay DNA and the navy anchor print was playful so I think it synched well together. We stuck to the boundaries of sea, navy and cruise and I’m happy how it turned out”

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Amanté 

A brand that is set to infuse confidence, style and subtle sensuality in the lives of women, amante’s swimwear is particularly designed for the silhouette of the South Asian women. 

“It went really well. The inspiration was all the sea elements and black and white. We wanted to do something different this time”

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Rum Punch 

A bold, exotic and vibrant brand, RumPunch presents a collection of fun and cheeky swimwear with bold prints and contrasting colours. Drawing inspiration from surf wear and pop culture, the collection sported a range of versatile shapes that are unique, bold and absolutely fun!

“It was great. More than what I expected. The models got into the mood. I’m happy with how it went”

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Heidi Klein : High Summer 2016 

Reputed for chic swimwear and accessories, this collection presented prints, crochet, classics with a twist on boho with a minimalist nautical looking running across the collection. Running a 70’s trend, the Heidi Klein collection was well cut and a perfect fit.

“I was really pleased. The models were great; very on brand. The audience is amazing and the location is equally amazing so I’m delighted!”

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MAUS : MAUS SWIM 

The label MAUS was created in 2013 by Annika Fernando as a ladieswear brand designed and produced in Sri Lanka. Having presented collections each year, for this years’ Monsoon, MAUS presented its first swimwear collection ‘MAUS SWIM’ running a monochromatic theme across the collection.

“I am excited to be expanding our line and I would like people to see a collection of wearable swimwear.”

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AVIVA 

Prasad Bidapa with Linea Aqua presented a collection specially designed for South-East Asian Women; the silhouettes feature a figure flattering shape addressing issues of upliftment and containment. The collection encompassed black and white graphics mix with jungle print and bold colours.

“Aviva is being developed as a brand for India so I loved seeing it on the runway. Linea Aqua is of course, unsurpassable. No one does it better than them.”

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Buddhi Batiks 

Launched in 2005, Buddhi Batiks collection at Colombo Fashion Week in 2007 earned her a spot at the Bangalore Fashion Week. Retailing in top design stores in India, Buddhi Batiks aspire to push the batik industry into the contemporary fashion market. Her collection at Swim Week Colombo presented a stunning collection of batik kaftans and silhouettes.

“Swim Week Colombo together with Linea Aqua has really brought out swimwear fashion. They’ve been really kind to open the doors for smaller designers to be creative so it has worked really well for the Sri Lankan swimwear industry”

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WE ARE HANDSOME : Hustle Theory 

Launched in 2009, W.A.H embodies the love for the beautiful things in life wonder of travel and the magic of the world we live in. It’s a brand that has gained worldwide recognition and has been worn by celebrities such as Beyonce, Diane Kruger, Rihanna and many more. 

"We’re thrilled to be presenting at Swim Week Colombo, it represents a huge opportunity for us to show our wares to a brand new audience. We’re excited to present our brand and aesthetic to such a focussed and creative population. We think that the colours and prints as well as the shapes we have in this collection will inspire confidence in Sri Lankan women to take charge of their fashion and do, wear, be what they love." 

Text by Panchali Illankoon 
Photographs by Kushan Pathiraja, Waruna Wanniarachchi