Wall Street Journal spotlight on 21st century Sri Lankan chic

Wall Street Journal Life & Style: Dressy, brightly coloured socks stand out in Sri Lanka’s balmy city of Colombo, but to the duo behind the local brand Friskybox, they’re reminiscent of their British boarding-school days.

“They’re a very London thing,” one of the two co-founders Rakhil Fernando said. “All the traders in the city wear them.” Seeking to bring that look to Asia, he and Ravi Nahappan started Friskybox in September. Their socks and underwear come in dozens of colours and patterns, starting at US$ 9. They began with an initial production run of 20,000 pairs of socks, which sell at retailers such as Isetan in Kuala Lumpur, the showcase corner at Hong Kong’s Woodhouse, and BSB, Robinsons and Tangs in Singapore. Despite inspiration from England, the design and manufacturing are done in Sri Lanka.

“Friskybox is the first business under the co-founders’ Avant Brands, which was created,” Fernando said, to foster young Asian brands. While they plan to eventually sell the line in the US, the playful designs are already developing a following in Asia. “Our philosophy is ‘Be bold and be frisky’,” he said. “We encourage people to make fun, of themselves a little bit.”