‘Active Tribal’, a special edition collection by Rum Punch fresh off the runway 

‘Active Tribal’, a special edition runway collection by resort wear brand Rum Punch debuted at Colombo Fashion Week’s Swimwear edition in August 2015.

Rum Punch designer Rukshika Fernando Seneviratne reverts to her trademark technique of colour-blocking for a collection that is vibrant and punchy in summer colours of blue, yellow and red. Active Tribal marries vibrant prints and solids with sporty surf-inspired shapes; the designer uses colour-blocking together with print fabrics, mesh details and contrast bindings for a collection that can be worn on and off the beach with ease.

Rukshika, envisioned Rum Punch for the stylish, fun and edgy young woman. The inspiration for the Active Tribal collection, she says, is an extension of this design philosophy. “Our CFW Swim collection is one of my favourites, simply because it’s so colourful but also incredibly practical,” she affirms. “The two-piece swimsuits in particular are designed so the wearer can easily slip on a casual wrap when they’re not at the beach or by the poolside, instantly transforming the swimsuit into an outfit. Essentially, you can spend your entire vacation in these pieces because they’re so versatile.”

The Active Tribal collection will be available internationally in Singapore and Malaysia via Zalora, Asia’s largest online fashion retailer, that Rum Punch signed with earlier this year-becoming the first Sri Lankan designer brand to do so.

Rum Punch is spearheaded by Rukshika together with Binara Seneviratne, who provides business acumen and strategic leadership to the brand. Together they launched Rum Punch in 2014 at the Sri Lanka Design Festival and internationally at the London Graduate Fashion Week. With its cool prints, batik dye techniques, contrast detailing and vibrant colour palette the brand instantly found favour among fashion circles, propelling it to the catwalk of Colombo Fashion Week in 2015. The tagline ‘discover your island spirit’ embodies the fashion philosophy of Rum Punch’s clientele - discerning holidaymakers who know that an island holiday is about a fresh, simple and fun wardrobe as much as it is about living the island life.

The brand will be available at Dilly & Carlo outlets in September and has plans to explore other avenues including resort destinations such as the Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius in the near future.

Photographs courtesy You're My Favorite