Shamkhan

I started working with Sri Lankan 
designers in GICW, the global platform 
we initiated in 2019. 

Shamkhan, born in Kolam, Kerala, dreamed big from the start. He kicked off his career modelling in college back in 2012 and quickly moved into choreographing shows. Soon, he found himself involved in big events like the Miss Universe India Pageant in Jaipur. But his role goes beyond choreography—he’s the mastermind making sure the lights, music, and models all come together perfectly, like a showrunner for fashion!

Shamkhan has also been behind other major pageants like Miss India Earth, Miss India International, and more. For him, it’s all about teamwork, especially staying connected with the backstage crew to ensure the magic happens on stage! 

I met Shamkhan through Indi’s shows here in Sri Lanka over the past two years, and he’s truly passionate about this country. He’s been working hard to connect our local designers with the global fashion scene, building important bridges between Sri Lanka and the world.

Today he speaks about what keeps him ticking everyday on the Buzz. 

Q:What’s the coolest thing about being in the fashion world for you?

For me the coolest thing is I love to travel, explore new places. I have always liked to explore different cultures. 

Q:When you’re planning shows, what (or who) really gets your creative juices flowing? Totally depends on the concept. 

For me doing a show is always about some twist in the game- I don’t like plain shows at all.
Q:Spill the tea on your last show—how did it go, and what was the vibe?

That was an experimental show to give tribute to artistes. Dancers were dancing inside the ring structure with different colours. At the end, the audience wrote about their experience about the play. It was a different and thrilling show. 

Q:What superpowers (aka skills) do you think are key to slaying in the fashion industry?You should be updated about people in the fashion industry and also be creative enough to make people smile at the end of your show. 

Q:Tell me about your experience working on shows in Sri Lanka—what’s the vibe, and how’s the talent strutting the runway?

I love Sri Lanka - the  culture , food , people. Look at you how much you love me and I love you. That’s the bond,  rather than business in Sri Lanka for me. 

I love Sri Lanka especially as they organise things better and they care for people. I think there is massive talent in Sri Lanka and there is a lot more to be explored and also to share.

Q:How’s it been collaborating with designers, photographers, and models? Any fun stories to share?

Most of the people in the industry don’t know that I was a model before. It’s always nice to work with different talent where you can get ideas and also share things from different creative minds working together in a project. 

Q:What was the highlight of your last job? And, come on, what part could you have skipped?

The last show I did was Miss Universe India. The rehearsals with 55 divas were amazing. 

Q:How do you keep it cool when egos and drama make an appearance in your job?

First of all I am not at all egoistic. In India I have worked with most of the choreographers in different shows. 

You have to keep egos in a positive way, like if someone is doing better than me , I  appreciate it and try to become better than that rather than creating egos and dramas . 

Create positive dramas in life... 

Q:What’s your proudest moment so far in your fashion journey?
My proudest moment is  when my father accepted me as a Show Director after my interview got published in Indian Express. He is a person of academics. He always dreamt of my photo in a big newspaper and  when my interview got published, my father's friends had showed it to him. Later he called me up and asked me what exactly is show direction.. I joked that his son earns more than an engineer...

Q:You’ve seen a lot of Sri Lankan designers—who’s got that extra spark in your book?
I started working with Sri Lankan designers in GICW, the global platform we initiated in 2019.  The idea was to bring them to India. I had a discussion with Prasanna and with Satyajit, the owner of GICW and he backed the initiative. I have worked with 4 designers, and personally with Indi in Sri Lanka. We have a bond.  

( Pix courtesy Shamkhan)