The Old Railway is a womenswear label established by Catherine Rawson, in 2011 in Galle, Sri Lanka and has shown thrice at Colombo Fashion Week. It produces seasonal collections for showcase and year round off resort-wear for tourists and the local community of women who want original, handmade luxury in their day-to-day wardrobe.
The Old Railway collection for CFW Resort 2016 is inspired by an old romance between Joan and Alf – her grandparents who were split during the Second World War when her grandfather joined the Navy and her Grandmother the Women’s Land Army. Their joint interests and loves of garden birds and wildlife have become a source of inspiration and focus for handwork.
From casual daywear to evening gowns and bridal pieces, itemphasizes on understated glamour and elegance,and incorporates traditional handwork into finished garments, mainly hand embroidery and applique techniques.
Catherine has combined all of this research, inspiration and family connection together to create a gentle memoir of her grandmother, and a tribute to her 90 years of style, changing with the world as it inevitably did, and her love for Alf.
Hameedia
FH Studio Collection is one of Sri Lanka’s most recognized by menswear labels, designed by Fouzul Hameed. It takes high quality clothes to the customer through a network of spacious, luxurious showrooms spread across Colombo and the suburbs. FH has shown at several Colombo Fashion Week seasons over the last 12 years, and will showcase its latest resortwear collection this year.
Stefel by Peronie
Peronie Stefel is a German-Sri Lankan designer based in Kandy, Sri Lanka. She debuted at Colombo Fashion Week in 2014 by participating in BrightSpark Shows and winning the CFW Fashion Design Fund the same year. She launched her label Stefel by Peronie at the CFW Spring/Summer 2015 Show. Stefel is a brand that appreciates artisanal culture from Sri Lanka and around the globe.
Her Resort 2016 Collection, The Island of Capri, is inspired by a serene dreamland. In the springtime, vibrant colours paint the picturesque landscape. In Italy, home to the ancient art of ceramic tiles, Peronie came across some broken tiles. She also recently discovered kinsukuroi, an ancient Japanese art of fixing broken pottery. As a philosophy it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. These tiles are reconstructed into masterpieces that outshine their former states.
This collection is inspired by the idea of transformation. Much like Peronie’s own mixed heritage, this collection draws from Western and Eastern tile works. This fusion of cultures is expressed in the form of batik and fabrics.
KASUN
Kasun Gunawardena, the designer behind KASUN, studied painting and sculpture before pursuing fashion design at LASALLE College of The Arts, Singapore and the Academy of Design, Sri Lanka. As a child, he associated himself with the natural environment closely, learning about consumerism and animal cruelty, which inspired him to take interest in sustainability. Soon after graduation,he established his brand KASUN, which debuted at the Colombo Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 Show.
As a designer, Kasun is drawn to cultures of various ethnicities, open space and minimalism.
The production of his garments is done with the help of local artisans and craftsmanship using handwoven fabrics and beeralu lace as some of the main features. He does not produce any products from animal origin and therefore his collections are mostly eco-friendly and cruelty free. Subdued, earthy shades and colours reflect the idea of softness and contentment; the brand could be identified as androgynous because of the versatile nature of the garments.
CHARINI
CHARINI is a womenswear label by Charini Suriyage, established in 2009. Celebrating craft, wellbeing and timeless design are at the heart of CHARINI’s design philosophy.
Using traditional methods of lingerie design and eliminating metal and plastic components, Charini has developed a unique synergy of art, architecture and a love for the environment into her designs. Each piece has been carefully crafted from luxury materials together with traditional crafts, producing exquisite and unique contemporary detail to each garment.
Her Resort 2016 Collection draws inspiration from the tropics and reef fish. The surface patterns, coloursand silhouettes are inspired by different species of colourful reef fish. The silhouettes range from figure-hugging dresses to easy-fit, drape-y dresses with multiple soft layers. Batiks and prints in silks and cottons are key to this collection.
Lars Andersson
Defined by a focus on the trade and skill of knitting, the Lars Andersson line continues to follow its mantra of creating “timeless pieces that will last a lifetime, defy trends, and always look contemporary and cool”. Lars Andersson, a New York based luxury knitwear designer, defines his design aesthetic as ‘Dark Urban Hippie’, and his collections consistently paint that picture.
Originally from Sweden, Lars continues to be powerfully influenced by his homeland, a place he describes as very dark, and the furthest thing from fancy. It’s a minimal environment, really old, dark and mysterious. It’s raw and unfinished, but still beautiful. The countryside is haunting, the pitch-black forest, the deep greens of the mosses and pine trees, and the greys of the stones. These are themes that continually translate into his namesake line.
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