New initiative to promote fashion retail

Wednesday, 24 September 2014 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

  • Designer pop-up stores by TATA at HSBC Colombo Fashion Week Resort Show
Colombo Fashion Week (CFW), which introduced its Resort edition as a single day event in 2012, is now a four-day showcase of the best of resort wear fashion. Added to the seasonal CFW calendar this year, CFW Resort will see designer pop-up stores created with the support of TATA housing. A competition held among final year architecture students saw two winners selected. Jade Jayawardena and Roven Edward Rebeira designs will be created into 20 pop-up retail stores for fashion designers showcasing at this year’s HSBC CFW Resort Show. The pop-up stores will be produced by TATA Housing in its bid to encourage and support young architects by bringing them into another design environment, where they get to interact with fashion designers. These Pop-up stores will house collections of the designers who are participating at the HSBC CFW Resort Show. This program will encourage the fashion retailing aspect of the show and create interaction opportunities between fashion designers and fashion consumers who attend CFW. This is the first initiative of its kind in Sri Lanka and it will now be a regular feature at CFW to further develop a fashion retail touch point at the show. Commenting on the initiative, the two aspiring architects, Jade Jayawardena and Roven Edward Rebeira stated: “As young aspiring architects, this opportunity given to us by CFW to participate in the ‘pop up store’ design competition is a novel experience indeed. It most definitely gives us the additional exposure that is so crucial in the architectural spheres. We are grateful to the organising committee for braving such an initiative in Sri Lanka, especially one that gives a platform to ‘student’ designers. Such projects that utilise temporary spaces, does not just give us the opportunity to work on projects that would be showcased at large, but also gives us the liberty to implement concepts that are very innovative and modern. This experience has been the epitome of invention through architecture. We are excited to have Tata Housing, help bring our design to life and hope the spaces will be enjoyed at the event.” The HSBC Colombo Fashion Week Resort Show, now in its third year, premiers from 1 to 4 October at Jetwing Blue and Jetwing Beach. The showcase will include ‘Bright Spark’ shows which showcase 15 of the brightest emerging fashion designers in Sri Lanka. These shows will take place on 1 and 2 October, followed by 20 shows featuring established Sri Lankan fashion designers on 3 and 4 October. There will also be three international fashion designers at the show, including internationally-acclaimed Abraham & Thakore from India and Harare by Caroline who just a fortnight ago showed at New York Fashion Week and was received well by an appreciative fashion community. The show will also be endorsed by a global icon in the women’s fashion world; Bibi Russell, who showcases her designs around the world but never misses the chance to show at CFW as it is one of her favourite fashion weeks. . This year the noteworthy HSBC CFW Resort Show workshop will be held on 4 October and will focus on the theme titled, ‘The use of indigenous textiles in fashion’. Renowned designers Bibi Russell, Harare and Abraham & Takore will also join the workshop to share their knowledge and experience. Focusing on the Fashion + Food series of CFW, a Michellin star chef from Paris and an internationally acclaimed Malaysian chef will provide delightful cuisines every evening, bringing in a design element to the show from the culinary arts. There will be special menus available on 1 and 2 October, the day of the ‘Bright Spark’ shows and the menus will continue to evolve till the show comes to a close on 5 October. Additionally, six iconic restaurants on the famous Negombo strip and the renowned tourist street will participate in the show by creating interesting menus throughout the week. The CFW partners this year include HSBC, Colombo Jewellery Stores, Land Rover, Jetwing, Ponds, TATA Housing, Vision Care, Spa Ceylon, Brandix, Wineworld, Hameedia, Hellmann Logistics, Leo Burnett, Cotton Collection, zMessenger, Ramani Fernando Salons, Mal-key rent-a-car, Fashion TV, Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Daily FT, Hi!, Lanka Woman and Life-Online. All partners of the show have come together to support CFW’s vision and to help make it a continuous success. The HSBC CFW Resort Show will end with a fabulous, themed after-party on 4 October following the final show. Anticipated to be the party event of the season, tickets for the after-party will soon be on sale. Those interested can follow the CFW official website on www.colombofashionweek.com and the official CFW Facebook page on www.facebook.com/colombofashionweek for regular updates.

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