A fashion designer for several years, Nilanka put her career aspirations on hold as she raised her young family. With her daughters now older and providing her with an abundance of inspiration, Nilanka has decided to relaunch her career and as the first step in that journey she held her maiden fashion show which proved her mettle as a designer of repute.
Branching out from the comfort of her atelier, Nilanka showcased a collection that was fresh, inspiring and full of promise. Clearly enamoured with batik, her collection had used various methods of batik technique such as dip dye, tie dye and ombre to form a canvas on which she created her abstract floral motifs, which in some instances she cleverly married with geometric prints to create a stunning visual array of beautiful fabrics.
The collection contained saris, dresses and jumpsuits which were well cut and sophisticated. From cocktail dresses which were both sexy and sensual to cool outfits for lounging about or lunching with the ladies or jumpsuits for yummy mummies, the La’ Sari collection which made its debut, did not disappoint.
The opening segment of the show featured beautiful silhouettes in various shades of white which all contained beeralu lace trimmings used in the most imaginative manner which lent an air of sophistication to the garments. Cocktail dresses, summer dresses and wide leg pants were on trend with some of the clothes having just the right amount of bling in the form of sequinned embellishments to jazz up its look.
From stark white Nilanka then introduced us to her Black and White monochromatic collection. Shades of black blended into white creating a colour pallette of a myriad hues of gray, playing host to abstract floral motifs and geometric prints which were unusual and eye catching.
Nilanka’s colour collection contained bright and bold colours that resonated with tropical island fashion hues. Pink, yellow, green, tangerines and blue in its various hues in well simple silhouettes provided elegance. Long flowing kaftan inspired dresses to bodycon dresses, the colour collection proved that Nilanka has a fantastic eye to blend colour and design to perfection.
The kids’ collection was on trend with pretty little pinafores and sundresses in a variety of colours with beautiful floral motifs and interesting button details. The kids’ collection was simple with a touch of playfulness with the designer using just the right amout of batik to retain a sense of youthful fun.
The highlight of the night was the sari collection. Paying homage to the six yards, Nilanka had outdone herself with her use of abstract florals as her leitmotif. Her use of geometric prints was also commendable. We saw the humble zig zag elevated to a high fashion art form while the simple chevron was brought into a league of its own - sophisticated with the right match of colours which dominated the pallu of the sari in an eyecatching manner.
Nilanka’s maiden fashion show not only displayed her excellent eye for colour, her love for artisanal Sri Lankan craft such as batik and beeralu or her ability to jazz up geometric designs as high fashion symbols, it also highlighted her unique ability to manipulate textiles to create different textures such as the crinkle fabric she liberally used in her white and beeralu lace collection. This demonstrates Nilanka’s ability not only as a designer but also her desire to constantly push the boundaries and invent, which certainly augurs well for fashion in Sri Lanka.
Comments from the audience
Koluu
Her debut collection was very nice and I thought the batiks were very eyecatching.
Mihiri
The collection was refreshing and she gave a different twist to batik.
Brian
I loved the collection. I think young designers should see this collection and be inspired by it.
Geetanjali
I just loved the white collection with the beeralu lace and of course the kids' collection. Who would have thought batik would look so cute on kids?
Ramona
La' Sari has been a hidden gem. Her creation are just fabulous so much so that we even retail them at Zudhora.
Thilo
She has done fabulously well. My favourite is the monochromatic collection.
Nadhiya
I have been following La’ Sari for a while but this collection is beyond what I expected. Kudos to the designer!
Thimalka
I was especially happy to see clothes which were also suitable for plus sized women, something we don’t see on Sri Lankan catwalks.
Malsha
I am so proud to see Sri Lankans who are so talented. Her saris incorporate so much of our traditional art and craft.
Bathiya
The extremely unique saris caught my eye. It was a well presented show.
Nilanka Silva (La’ Sari Designer)
What started as a hobby has now become a reality. I love working with Sri Lankan crafts such beeralu as I think in a way it defines the rich artisanal culture we have. I have had a private clientele for a long time now who have been very supportive in what I do and I am now ready to take my designs to the next level.
By Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs by Manoj Ratnayake
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Shauna Russ says:
Sep 25, 2015 at 12:00 amExquisite collection and beautiful fabrics, but the feature that I most admire is the fact that so many women of different ages and varying sizes can wear these clothes with ease and fantastic style. Too often, especially at fashion shows, there is no way that the "average" woman can even imagine themselves wearing the clothes that they are viewing.I do hope that La' Sari and Nilanka Silva will uphold these attributes through the years.