HSBC Colombo fashion week

DAY 03

Pakistani based designer Zaheer Abbas was inspired by coming back to a semblance of normality after two tumultuous years of the pandemic. The clothes themselves show that the language of beauty is a multi-faceted drama of creation and renewal, remembering and forgetting. All of the pieces are made of the humble cotton fabric, comfortably and uncritically adorned solely by hand screen prints of floral vines and fauna motifs.Colombo witnessed a smorgasbord of fashion during the HSBC CFW which concluded on Day 3. Indi Yapa Abeywaydene who celebrates her tenth anniversary showcasing at Colombo Fashion Week provided a fitting finale with a collection that sparkled under the bright lights. Charini Suriyage and Sonali Dharmawardhane were the other standout designers of the night. Adding a vibe of international glamour were Suket Dhir the celebrated designer from India and Zaheer Abbas a noteworthy designer from Pakistan. Despite the usual barbed comments and brickbats from Colombo's fashion observers, Ajai, Fazeena and the CFW team should be congratulated for providing a platform for designers and various industry stakehders to showcase their work. It should be noted that when

Sri Lanka’s fashion landscape was limited to fashion shows in lobbies, it was the advent of CFW that elevated the fashion scene. Learning through their errors CFW is continually evolving to provide a better fashion experience for both designers and consumers.

Sonali Dharmawardena

One of the finest contemporary batik designers whose abstract designs have often been compared to wareable art Sonali’s collection was inspired by memories of  Sri Lanka’s unique wildlife and terrain which are ingrained in her memory from her childhood.

Zaheer Abbas

Pakistani based designer Zaheer Abbas was inspired by coming back to a semblance of normality after two tumultuous years of the pandemic. The clothes themselves show that the language of beauty is a multi-faceted drama of creation and renewal, remembering and forgetting. All of the pieces are made of the humble cotton fabric, comfortably and uncritically adorned solely by hand screen prints of floral vines and fauna motifs.

Suket Dhir

Celebrated Indian designer Suket Dhir, no stranger to CFW showcased his  Forever Young collection which celebrates the resplendent youth which we all come into, but few devote our every breathing moment in pursuit of excellence. The aesthetic of the miniatures and the story is inspired by Olympus, the city of Greek Gods - the sculpture like athletic bodies, the sporting culture, adorned with jewellery inspired by temple sculptures. The comic treatment lends a playfulness to the story telling. Overall romanticism ties up the whole narrative. 

Hameedia

The grandmaster of men’s fashion in Sri Lanka, unassuming and humble, Fouzul Hameed continues to do what he does best - creating impeccable  men’s clothing. With the use of bright and expressive colours using light cottons and breathable linens with an emphasis on sustainability, the collection captures and conveys the ambience of a beautiful day in Milan.