On the second day of HSBC Colombo Fashion Week, a crop of established fashion designers both local and international stepped up their game to reveal their amazing collections. From fashion inspired by medieval times, new grunge looks, batik on denim and sarongs with belts and pockets, models that walked down the runway displayed collections that were innovative, bright, fun and commercial. Here's our edit of the best looks from last night. 

 

U by Upeksha Hager 

Having begun her fashion journey back in 2011 with her first show at CFW, U by Upeksha is a label that offers fresh designs with an eye for detail and finish. Her collection ‘Armor’ made use of fabrics such as linen and Oxford cotton coupled together with netting and lace. Her collection embodies designs that are delicate in a disconnected manner and is inspired by the trend of androgynous and boxy silhouettes. 

"In the first part of the collection, I used some women’s movement insignia and add-on pieces that suggest the rebel. In the second part, I created dreamy and somewhat disconnected and marionette like silhouettes as a further, perhaps cheeky expression of the experience." 

 

 

 

 

 

'Jai' by Jaish 

Jaish Jayasinghe launched her label ‘Jai’ back in 2012. A fusion of East and West, her collections are inspired by stories and experiences. Her collection for CFW 2017, ‘With Love, Jai’ is inspired by Coldplay’s song ‘Birds’. With earthy tones embedded in free-flowing silhouettes, the collection is a reflection of love and freedom. 

"I have used bright colours and graphic images of birds in this collection. The silhouettes I have used complement the beauty of the feminine form." 

 

 

 

 

 

LOVI Ceylon 

Harvard graduate and former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Asanka De Mel is the creator of LOVI Ceylon, a brand of luxury active - wear sarongs. Debuting at CFW, LOVI Ceylon’s summer collection is titled 'Modern Ceylon' and is inspired by travel, culture and the future. The collection featured sarongs crafted with handloom cotton and silk was presented in navy, white and emerald with accents of silver, gold and red. The USP of the Lovi Ceylon sarong is its thoughtfully placed pocked and belt. 

"My collections are meant to fit the explorer, adventurer in all of us. With this collection we are simultaneously pushing the limits on the silhouette of the sarong while keeping all the functional aspects of the LOVI people have come to love." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Sari 

A label by designer Nilanka De Silva, this collection features an array of textures of denims and chambray. La Sari presented a collection inspired by the ocean hues and the setting sun in the form of batiks, embroidery and embellishments. The blue batiked denim was brought to life with beautifully embroidered red floral images. 

"Denim is one of my favourite fabrics and it is on trend for 2017. I thought I would create something different using denim along with batik and embroidery." 

 

 

 

 

Aslam Hussein 

A bridal and evening wear designer with a distinctive style, Aslam Hussein’s collection was steeped in medieval background with a feel of antiquity to it’s name. With dramatic cuts in embossed and embroidered fabrics, the collection mired historical clothing which demonstrated his love for structured clothing with lush details. 

"I am very inspired by medevial styling and clothing so this collection has a bit of Baroque and a touch of ethereal Elizabethan fashion influences which have helped sit well with my fashion ethos." 

 

 

 

 

Amilani Perera 

Amilani Perera is a ready-to-wear, luxury, fashion brand that incorporates unique chic styling with traditional Sri Lankan cultural motifs. The brand's two-pronged motive entails providing the wearer with a truly unique piece of clothing while simultaneously giving back to society in the form of helping protect Sri Lanka’s wildlife habitat. 

For her new collection, she draws inspiration from Sri Lanka’s rapidly dying coral reefs. Her latest collection will feature this season’s latest trend: hand embroidery on placement motifs and a shift away from traditional methods of beading. Natural seashells and porcelain ornaments will be woven into the motifs while the silhouettes are primarily focused on a mix of structure and fluidity. 

"This collection is all about giving something back to nature along with giving the wearer a very unique experience." 

 

 

 

 

Ramona Oshini 

Having launched her brand at CFW in 2010 and showcased at CFW for 8 consecutive seasons, Ramona Oshini’s collection 'The Divine Empress' gets its inspiration from women of royalty and incorporates trends such as gold detailing on fabrics and prints on a range of materials such as tulle, linen, pure silk, velvet and brocade. The colour palette of the collection ranged from subtle hues of ivory and grey to bold accents of gold and fuchsia. The incorporation of the artisanal beeralu lace also added a touch of elegance into the collection. 

"Our silhouettes focus largely on complementing the Sri Lankan woman and this collection is everything about what the women of royalty had stood up for and celebrates the power of being in power." 

 

 

 

 

 

Gaetano Navarra 

 

 

 

 

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TEXT by Tina Edward Gunawardhana & Panchali Illankoon 
PHOTOGRAPHS by Manoj Ratnayake, Nisal Baduge, Kushan Pathiraja & Daith Wickramasinghe