Rithihi helps nurture local talent

Rithihi presents ‘Indigenous Style’ – an exhibition of local designers’ work including hand-woven sarees and handmade jewellery.

Featuring a collection of handmade sarees and jewellery, ‘Indigenous Style’ is one-of-a-kind and most interestingly, all creations of local designers. Each designer has been hand-picked for their extraordinary capabilities and keen eye, with each piece being absolutely exquisite.

The exhibition will feature designers Anupama Nawalage, Asanga Godamuna, Himali Delapala, Nelun Harasgama, Ninel Fernando and Prabath Samarasooriya and will open on 21 February until 25 February from 10a.m. to 6p.m. daily at Rithihi, 19, Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 3.

Nelun is the only designer to have had a major solo exhibition with Rihihi last year, while Anupama, Ninel, Prabath and Nelun as well, have their pieces available in-store.

Anupama Nawalage’s collection ‘Retrospective’ features hand-woven and handmade products inspired by the ‘Dumbara Handloom Weaving’ practiced by Sri Lanka’s traditional handloom weavers. Motifs consist of unique geometric forms, shape, patterns and graphical formations. Anupama works at the University of Moratuwa’s Department of Integrated Design, as a lecturer on the Bachelor of Design Degree Course.

Himali Delapala is a fashion designer cum artist and is also a lecturer at the Raffles Institute of Higher Education. Her collection of this exhibition – ‘Kaleidoscope’ is her second collection, and her first of sarees. The colour combinations Himali has used and the designs represent the manner in which a kaleidoscope works. The sarees are a mix of silk and cotton, and are excellent choices for party wear.

Inspired by old masters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt to modern painters Pollock and Warhol, Nelun Harasgama’s collection of sarees titled ‘Cubist’ are made of hand-woven raw silk. Each original piece gives you the feeling of a painting. The collection features exquisite batiks which are drawn by Nelun and produced in Kandy on hand-woven silk flown in from Laos.

Ninel Fernando’s extensive career as a designer of textiles, jewellery and handicrafts spans many years. Her unique collection of ethnic silver jewellery is one that is set within Sri Lanka’s cultural context, with Ninel striving to adopt the Sri Lankan idiom into her designs.

‘Jaffna Collection – 4th edition’ by Prabath Samarasooriya sees his inspiration drawn completely from Rithihi itself. Speaking about his collection he says, ‘Rithihi was a great inspiration. It’s ambience, exclusivity, rich designs encouraged me to create another exclusive saree collection using rich colours, bold stripes which are perfect for that trendy look all modern women seek, which are unique, colourful and art that can be worn.”

Rithihi prides itself in offering the best in traditional weaves and embroidery – with ‘Indigenous Style’ promising to offer the best Sri Lankan designers have to offer. Alongside the store’s wide range of Indian heritage garments, drop by and browse through a range of distinctive pieces designed and created by Sri Lankan designers, available only at Rithihi.