Sustainable Me

As a fashion designer, I strongly believe we have to be aware of the story behind products and the people who are involved in the process of its production . Having been involved in the fashion industry for a number of years, I’ve gathered experience in a start-up and a few of the more recognised labels in Sri Lanka . Since we are now facing a pandemic on a scale that we haven’t seen the likes of for more than a century I thought it was important for me to talk about the importance of supporting local brands. I want to share the story behind my favourite type of fabric to work with. It is that of the handloom textile. The history behind traditional handloom weaving in Sri Lanka dates back to the times of the Indian Prince Vijaya and quite possibly before that. It is said that upon his arrival on the island in 543 BC, he witnessed a woman called Kuveni from the indigenous race “Yaksha Gothra” spinning yarn - she would go on to be his wife. The local handloom industry acquir...

A bright sunny afternoon in 2019 took a 180-degree shift to become a dark, windy, and scary one in just a matter of minutes!I remember this day very well as we were enjoying an event celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New year organized by CIM Sri Lanka. We had perfect weather for an event like this (which started around 10 am that morning). But everything changed that afternoon. This is when I quickly snapped this picture! The rain got us soaked while we danced to the music. It was not the ideal weather to have, but we decided to have fun anyway.I know what you're thinking. We secured our mobile phones by putting them into polythene bags and keeping them under a hut by the DJ! The point I am trying to get at is that, you still can find happiness in adversity . Economic Effects I am sure you have heard enough about the adverse economic impacts that Coronavirus has and will bring about. Unemployment rates will soar, Gross Domestic Product or GDP (An indicator of the val...