​​Forging ahead in their mission to make Sri Lanka the South Asian hub of fashion with an emphasis on sustainability, Ajai Vir Singh the Founder and President of CFW announced the Luxury Resortwear Collection edition to be held on the 29th-30th November in Colombo. Singh emphasised that this edition would have at its fore the concept of circularity in fashion which CFW has been championing with vigour. Playing a pivotal role in promoting Sri Lankan fashion across the shores, Singh said that as part of CFW’s 20th anniversary, they expanded their South Asian footprint by showing the collections of a couple of Sri Lankan designers at Bangalore X CFW.

The upcoming Resortwear edition will have a special focus on craftsmanship, and occasion wear in addition to the theme of ‘circularity.’ Explaining his vision on why these shows are important Singh said CFW had expanded its footprint to create editions in Bangalore, Pune and Lucknow as part of its expansion to provide a platform for Sri Lankan designers in high-potential South Asian cities. This project will also include Singapore early next year, followed by London in the first half of 2024. Selected Sri Lankan designers with relevance to those markets will be selected to showcase the CFW system.

Since its inception 20 years ago, CFW has had a maximum impact on the fashion design industry of Sri Lanka, most designers that are visible today are part of the design development system of CFW, which also drives its Accelerator programme to create new opportunities for Sri Lankan designers. The Luxury Resortwear edition showcasing over two days will include designers such as Charini Suriyage, Dinushi Pamunuwa, Kamil Hewawitharana, Amilani Perera, Fouzul Hameed, Asanka De Mel, Karma to name a few. This edition of CFW will also see the relaunch of the Fashion Design Council of Sri Lanka (FDCL), with its objective of providing key support to the Sri Lankan fashion industry and designer fraternity.

There will be a Sustainability Workshop under the Responsible Fashion Summit, titled Circular Design Mindset. It will be open to all designers and students with an interest in Fashion Circularity. CFW aims to drive progressive change in every aspect of the fashion industry in Sri Lanka while nurturing the next generation of Sri Lankan fashion designers. Colombo Fashion Week’s mission is to establish, develop and maintain an efficient fashion eco-system that incubates the best of Sri Lankan fashion design before it is presented to the world.

Shangri La Colombo will play host to the event. Elaborating on this partnership, Herve Duboscq, General Manager of Shangri-La Colombo stated, “Over the years, we have witnessed the transformative impact of Colombo Fashion Week, propelling numerous fashion brands to global acclaim and significantly contributing to industry growth. Serving as a unique and unparalleled platform, driven by industry stalwarts, it has not only inspired but also provided a crucial launch pad for emerging designers who might otherwise have remained unnoticed. The values upheld by Colombo Fashion Week perfectly align with our dedication to doing good and hosting our guests to the colourful joys of life. We take pride in contributing to the journey towards a more dynamic and fashion-forward Sri Lanka, skillfully navigating the ever-changing global fashion landscape.”

The main partners of the Luxury Resortwear edition are Nations Trust Bank American Express, Shangri-La Colombo, Lakme, Tressemme, Vision Care, Hameedia, Ramani Salons, Wijeya Newspapers, Hardtalk Ltd and Emerging Media.

PIX BY Pradeep Dilrukshana