HSBC CFW showcases importance of menswear in fashion business

Menswear Day, the latest introduction at this Seasons Colombo Fashion Week is a result of a carefully thought through strategy that hopes to open new doors of business for designers in Sri Lanka. Although a majority of men stick to staple colours and safe cuts, there is now an increasing tendency among the new generation of men’s shoppers who are pushing the boundaries. The new generation of men either look sharper within their comfort zone or experiment.

New York introduced men’s fashion week last year as a confirmation to a growing trend that is seeing menswear rise significantly. The cliché that men hate shopping may not hold ground when globally sales of menswear is booming. In June, market researchers Verdict announced the UK menswear market was forecast to grow by a whopping 25.7% in the five years to 2019, outperforming all other clothing sectors. That’s on top of an 18% growth in the past five years, making the market worth £ 12.9 billion, a serious rival to the traditionally dominant womenswear market in the UK.

Although trends tend to move more slowly in menswear, research by Mintel suggests wearing clothes that feel current (as opposed to bowler hats or spats, presumably) is an increasingly important factor for young British men. 26% of those aged 25-34 said they were driven by the latest fashions when buying clothes, compared with 17% of women in the same age bracket.

The rise of online portals such as Mr. Porter has brought in convenience to a time challenged individuals, who can make quicker shopping decision using their smartphones. It seems the environment is supporting the male shopper. It’s no surprise that for over five years now the growth of men’s fashion has outpaced that of womenswear. This growing consciousness is apparent in Sri Lanka as well. The media has played a part and men are grooming better and looking sharper. 

“We keep a close watch on global trends and societal changes that may open up a window of opportunity for Sri Lankan designers to expand the scope of their business. The introduction of Menswear Day is one such step to expand the portfolio of Sri Lankan, menswear fashion consumer and media,” says Colombo Fashion Week President/Founder Ajai V Singh commenting of the introduction of Menswear Day.

Colombo Fashion Week, in its 13th year, have introduced menswear day which will be dedicated to Sri Lankan and international designers showcasing their menswear collections. This will be Day Three of CFW where designers will showcase new trends in menswear in an interesting manner. This is in keeping with the global trends and shifts in the fashion world.

Celebration of Indigo is the theme of CFW this season and it is also in keeping with a colour tone which remains one of the most popular among the global male population since the time Colombus landed on the shores of USA. The designers showing on menswear day are Conscience, Kasun Gunawardena, Heshan De Silva, Gihan Ediriweera, Lars Andersson, Shanika Samarakkody, Shaunak Sen – House of 3 and Mevan Kaluarachchi. 

CFW 2016 will also host a series of events during the week in celebration of Fashion Week. Whether it is seasonal indulgences, high-end ingredients, calorie conscious cuisine, or comfort food presented stylishly, the ‘Fashion & Food’ choices during CFW will be plentiful. The CFW Fashion and Food extravaganza will come to action at Café Francais, Park Street Mews, La Trattoria, Curve and Il Ponte and Iko Tei at Hilton Colombo from 20 to 26 February. 

Another highlight being a photography CFW Workshop by Rid Burman on 25 February at 9:30 a.m. Hilton Colombo, a graduate from the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography, who has worked with renowned international names such as Steven Klein and Mark Seliger in New York and Los Angeles. Further, the unique concept of CFW Frame in partnership with ARTRA and The Residencies at One Galle Face showcase is to be held on 22 February at the Land Rover showroom. The annual event supports CFW’s aims to create market and growth opportunities for a host of talented individuals. Saskia Fernando Gallery will be unveiling an exclusive collection of works by P413 and ARTRA Magazine will be showcasing the works of ARTRA’s emerging artist for its Feb/Mar edition with Kavan Balasuriya. 

The CFW Fashion Design Fund which supports the most impressive young designer who is a participant of the ‘Emerging Designer’ shows will also be selected being awarded funding for their collection along with guidance on how to kick-start his/her fashion career. This year over 10 designers will be showcased at the CFW Emerging Designer Showcase 2017. 

HSBC CFW 2016 is enriched by its partners: HSBC, Hilton, Land Rover, Colombo Jewellery Stores, Wineworld, Olu Water, Vision Care, Unilever – Ponds BB, Ramani Fernando Salons, Spa Ceylon, Illy Coffee, Wijeya Group, Hameedia, Hellmann Logistics and Emerging Media – who share and extend their support towards the vision and aspirations of CFW. For further details, please visit www.colombofashionweek.com or follow CFW on Facebook (www.facebook.com/colombofashionweek), Twitter (@colombofw) and Instagram (@colombofw).