10 emerging designers showcase on Day 1, product of CFW development program 

The Emerging Designers showcase, a key highlight of HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW), has been ramped up this year to the next level to showcase 10 emerging talented designers nurtured on the CFW platform, in February at Park Street Mews. Conceptualized in a new format, the Emerging Designers platform is the triumphant outcome of tireless, behind the scenes, year-round development project by CFW. A handful of exceptional, aspiring fashion designers, selected by an expert panel of judges, are given the coveted opportunity to be guided through their creative process by the CFW Team, who provides them with valuable training and mentoring to conceptualize and produce a runway-ready collection. 

CFW has a focused development project to guide, mentor and lead both emerging and established designers. CFW has taken on the mantle of single-handedly developing the fashion retail infrastructure and growing the fashion retail industry in Sri Lanka. By staying true to its vision, CFW has become the backbone of the Sri Lankan fashion industry and one that is supporting and leading Sri Lankan designers to international platforms. 

Going a step further, CFW organizes CFW Day at leading fashion schools in Sri Lanka, through the year, with the aim of educating and orienting young design students with practical knowledge of the fashion design industry. CFW even organizes shows for emerging designers to showcase new talent, who will be showcased at the next CFW platform. 

Featured here are the designers: 

Angelina Seneviratne 

Angelina debuted her first collection at the CFW Emerging Designer Showcase in 2015 

Majoring in Fashion Design at AOD in 2002.Angelina launched her label “CURVES” in 2005 following a period where she designed exclusive garments for a small clientele. She has showcased collections in casual wear, work wear, evening wear, beachwear. Angelina currently operates out of her home design studio, and over the last year has been focusing on building her brand of clothes that truly flatters the curves of a woman. 

Anushika Perera 

Studying her last year in UOM, majoring in Fashion Design and Lifestyle Accessory, Anushika debuts her collection of the label MOJO. The collection has been designed under the concept as ‘Metamorphosis’. 

Azzraa Thaarick 

Launched at CFW SS 2015. Returning for the 3rd time at Emerging Designer showcase 

Azzraa Thaarick is a fashion designer who draws inspiration from everything around her, especially bright colours. Her interests also lie in travelling which helps explore new ideas and gain inspiration for her designs from abstract object through to nature and landscapes. 

GEDI ROUTE by Mehar Bedi 

Envisioned in 2013, the label was started by Gurmehar Bedi in Chennai. Gedi Route is a celebration of youth and color. The name is derived from a route in Chnadigarh, India. Our designs are heavily concentrated on the prints and color blocking. They are casual chic for the urban woman who likes to experiment with bold colors yet simple silhouettes. Gedi Route, as we consider it, is a high street fashion label with elements of punk, bohemian and androgyny. Our Spring/Summer 2017 collection is an experiment with combining these different methods of dyeing. 

Nayani Fernando 

Showcasing her second time at CFW Emerging Designer Showcase 

Nayani Fernando is a BA (Hons) fashion design graduate from the University of Salford, Manchester. She specializes in women’s wear design. Her final collection “Nothingness” was showcased at London Graduate Fashion week last year. This collection was also shortlisted for the Limerick International Fashion Student awards, which were held in Ireland. Much of her work consists of garments that are ready-to- wear with minimal seams and meticulous execution. She explores challenging methods of pattern cutting making sure every piece has her very own creativity. Her collection “Judas” for Brightsparks meaning 'a peephole through a door', reflects on her individual style and experiences of living in Manchester. 

Nipuni Silva 

A student of UOM studying in her second year in Lifestyle Accessories brings her label BINARA as her debut collection, which focuses on shape shifting and the diversity and adaptability of modern city girls’ lifestyle. 

Poorni Wijesinghe 

Studying at UOM in fashion and lifestyle accessory, and showcasing for her first time with CFW, Poorni Wijesinghe brings her label “SHE” inspired by bohemian chic styles and textures to CFW Emerging Designer Showcase 2016. 

Rashmi Yashodya 

Launching her label for her first time at Emerging Designer, Rashmi is a fashion designer who draws inspiration from everything around her. Specializing in casual ladies wear, she brings her label “Rei&Rai” to CFW. 

Tilini Perera 

An alumnus from Raffles Institute and inspired by the textures of bamboo and colours of nature and the tree itself, Tilini Perera brings her label “Hasintara” to Colombo Fashion Week Emerging Designer Showcase. 

Vathsala Gunasekera 

Studying at UOM in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory, and showcasing for the first time with CFW, Vathsala Gunasekara brings her label “Chava” inspired by bohemian chic styles and textures to CFW Emerging Designer Showcase 2016. The collection is enriched with an earthen colour palette and patterns are simple, while nature friendly materials are used for each and every design. 

Juxtapose 

A collaboration by Indi and Charlene, Juxtapose to introduce you a new venture in the fashion industry. The brand will cater to a high-end retail market with simple sophisticated styles dressed in their colourful creative artwork done by the children with special needs in a school named Navodaya. 

HSBC CFW 2016 (to be held from February 23 - 26) is enriched by its partners: HSBC, Hilton, Land Rover, Colombo Jewelry Stores, Wineworld, Olu Water, Vision Care, Unilever - Ponds BB, Ramani Fernando Salons, Spa Ceylon, Illy Coffee, Wijeya Group, Hameedia, Hellmann Logistics and Emerging Media – who share and extend their support towards the vision and aspirations of CFW. 

For further details, please visit www.colombofashionweek.com or follow CFW on Facebook (www.facebook.com/colombofashionweek), Twitter (@colombofw) and Instagram (@colombofw).