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.

“These designers have their own sensibility when it comes to ethical fashion in Sri Lanka. After following a three year degree in fashion designing, and exhibiting collections at the Sri Lanka Design Festival, they have ventured on their first retail collection today,” explained Karen MacLeod, Principal of AOD. The three designers were mentored by Venture Engine, a project by Blue Ocean Ventures and the Indian Angel Network. “Venture Engine empowers entrepreneurs and they come to us and pitch their ideas. Then, we help and mentor them to launch their own ventures,” said Prajeeth Balasubramaniam, MD of Blue Ocean Ventures.

Prabath Samarasooriya

Prabath Samarasooriya is a designer who works with a sustainable process. “I use locally produced resources and the work of Sri Lankan artisans who are exquisitely skilled in a particular craft,” explained Prabath. Traditional crafts used to make the clothes include batik, hand embroidery and ‘dumbara’ hand weaving from craftsmen based in the village of Thalagune. The contemporary fashion brand uses cultural elements and each item of clothing is elegant and finely executed in simple shapes designed to fit any sort of body frame. Samarasooriya also ensures that the entire fabric is used when making a garment to reduce minimal wastage.

Nithya

This Sri Lankan handloom brand is the brainchild of Nithya Lamahewa, a 2011 graduate of the Academy of Design. Not delving into traditional styles of handloom, the Nithya brand is all about a modern and sophisticated handloom look.

Using different hues of blue handloom, this young designer creates saris, trousers, tops and dresses out of the material. The ‘denim handloom’ collection is Nithya’s very first retail collection. She uses recycled handloom and yarn to create beautifully crafted pieces of clothing. She plans on releasing a new collection every three months at the Melache store.

Wo (man) re-made

A collection of clothing made by the upcycling of men’s wear into women’s wear, this is by Lonali Rodrigo of the Lonali brand. All the raw material is sourced from different factories and the material is used to create beautiful pieces of clothing for women. Lonali has been showcasing her collection at the Sri Lanka Design Festival since 2010 and she won the Ethical Fashion Award at the festival in 2010. The collection she launched at Melache on April 6 comprises of dresses, skirts and tops. She is a 2012 graduate from the Academy of Design.

Melache is located at 29/3, Visaka Private Road, Colombo 03. Check the page on Facebook for regular updates on these designers and their upcoming collections.

By Sarah Kellapatha

Pics by Indraratna Balasuriya