DESIGNERS AT MBFW 2021 DAY ONE

AMESH WIJESEKERA

AMESH is a celebration of Colour, Culture, Creativity, Community and Craftsmanship. “Flower Boys” is a collection expanding these ideas whilst rooting to personal experiences and stories, challenging social stereotypes. The collection blends soft masculinity with a citric colour palette of mint, fuchsia, burnt tangerine, luxe gold and eclectic details. Textiles are all hand made in collaboration with Sri Lankan artisan craft communities of hand-weaving, hand knitting and crochet. These are combined with dead stock fabric collected from factory waste and given a second life through hand printing and digital printing techniques creating techni coloured dreamscapes like effect. AMESH continues his journey reimagining South Asian beauty, youth and diversity

NITHYA LAMAHEWA

Nithya is a designer brand that aims to reinvent and re-launch Sri Lanka’s ancient traditional craft textile and bring to new markets and to higher levels than it has ever been before. Nithya pushes the conventional boundaries of the handloom craft, taking into account global trends, creating new design concepts. MBFW 2021 Collection is inspired by Street Fashion. We are making traditional batik sarongs a modern-day fashion statement. The effortless loose fitted T-Shirts are made out of 100% cotton, and Prints are inspired by Sri Lankan nature and endem

LONALI RODRIGO

Lonali: Vincent Van Gogh’s painting of a wheat field takes you back in time to the 1890’s, where it expresses the cycle of life, where people celebrate their growth, but equally being responsive to the powerful forces of nature. This collection is inspired by elements from French farmlands and the revival of women post WW2. As we move to a "new normal" this is the look ‘lonali’ designed in collaboration with Sri Lankan Airlines, launching its first ever upcycled accessory range, made out of discards from the aircraft interior.

Ishara Jayathilake is the founder of EIGENBRÖTLER based in Norway and continues on her creation as a garment designer and visual artist based on focused research of ethical fashion. In her clothing designs, Ishara aims to embody a philosophy that brings art, craft, social issues into the everyday life of the individual, which runs across the globe connecting the East and the West. "I / ME is a collection about the stories of my many nightmares, dreams and emotions during my time in Norway as a student. I’ve been working on this collection since late 2017 as one of my projects in the first-year master’s program at Oslo National Academy of the Arts. The brief required to make a collection about me. I started creating textile manipulations incorporating hand embroidery and let my hands do the work with no conventional stitch or pattern to it. I worked with a single needle, stitch after stitch, using textiles as a means of self-expression allowing me to display my individuality. And I love adapting the functions and forms of clothing to my melancholic silhouettes. As conceptual as the endeavor might have been, this collection was created with a heavy heart, full of artistic expressions you don't have to be a fashion intellectual to love. I dedicate this collection to everybody who has a story to tell, whatever that is.

Thilini Silva, Designer alumna of AOD and founder of the label TSS. Retailing at Boutque store PR Sri lanka. TSS is a sustainable fashion brand that specializes in batik, my main goal is to bring out a trendy side to the craft. I believe conscious business is the future, our fabrics are 100% biodegradable and we source them sustainably from factory waste and add value to these beautiful fabrics. We use eco friendly dyeing methods as certian dye can be harmful to the environment The collecton is inspired by tropical rainforests and all its glory. Our designs each garment is meant to be a staple that holds a special place in the we are.

TAPROBANA BY CATHRYN takes you on a journey in to the island lifestyle of culture and fashion. A collection of Sri Lankan traditional crafts infused with modern day lifestyle. TAPROBANA BY CATHRYN: Galactic Chic Collection Story Folklore has long maintained a mystical connection between Man and the Galactic Space. This collection is a celebration of our connections with nature and the unknown mysteries that comes with it. Inspired by the galaxy a twinkling new capsule collection that’s best with cheering big smiles and desire for celebrations. Buttery soft silks and comfy cotton brought to life through hand sketched textiles and then closely working with local Sri Lankan batik artisans to create luxurious fabrics. The Island chic silhouettes are made for comfort with a hint of hand embroidery and crochet. This collection and hand made styling accessories consists of sustainably sourced fabrics / trim that gives it an added value. TAPROBANA BY CATHRYN’s limited edition collection “Galactic Chic” Celebrates handcrafted Luxury that is exquisite and designed for island soul.

SWASTHIKA GIRIHAGAMA

IOLA COLOMBO: I was mainly inspired by Apres skiing wear and along with that I was inspired by Gaudy mosaic’s prints and hand-loomed fabrics, all of which was utilized to develop my final collection. Also Skiing is a very energetic sport which is related to my signature design style which is active sportswear. This was one of the main reasons why i was inspired by ski for this collection as it was something a bit challenging yet enjoyable to do same as this design project.

THARSHANA WIJESINGHE

At Tharshana, we have always prided ourselves on our ability to bring artful products to life through tasteful incorporation of exotic elements inspired by our Sri Lankan roots. And now, we are pushing conventional boundaries even further. While sticking to our roots, the Tharshana Hand-In-Hand collection consists of pieces that go beyond works of art, much like actual paintings. Empowered by the Artisanal community, each piece is intricately hand woven before being carefully hand painted on by our immensely creative group of artisans. Through Hand in Hand, we hope to bring prominence to the Artisan communities as well as the importance of sustainable fashion.