Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Monday, 13 January 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
To be held in the first week of February, CFW will this year span over a week, starting with the new initiative Bright Spark shows held on the first three days leading up to the main shows. Focusing on empowering local designers to aspire to get on to the international ramp, showcasing local talent amidst well established designers, CFW will this year also expand its spotlight to create new retail formats to develop fashion retail as well as promote crafts in fashion through its link up with the National Crafts Council. The three areas of focus are believed to have the ability to develop the fashion industry in Sri Lanka.
The six-day event will offer local designers, both students as well as professionals, to showcase their best to local and international buyers and fashion enthusiast.
CFW Founding Director Ajai Vir Singh on Thursday spearheading a press conference at the host hotel of the event Hilton Colombo, noted that discussions are ongoing to showcase local designers overseas by partnering with the likes of Dubai Fashion Week.
Confirming that CFW’s attempts so far in to promoting local designers overseas is a success, it was announced that local designer Sonali Dharmawardena will soon be showcasing her collection at the Bangladesh Fashion Week. A few other local designers including Dharmawardena’s collections are also now being showcased at one of leading retail stores in India.
Fashion TV has come in as the international media partner showcasing CFW to its viewers all over the globe.
He added that the essence of CFW lies in promoting Sri Lankan talent within the Sri Lankan community, creating a sense of pride in wearing a local label. “We have created pride among the Sri Lankans in Sri Lankan brands. This is the driving force behind what we are doing.”
Taking the message of fashion and retail to fashion students, CFW this year will showcase designs of students from four fashion colleges – University of Moratuwa, LIFT, AOD and Raffles at the Bright Sparks shows from 3-5 February. A total of nine designers will showcase their designs here.
The main show scheduled for 6-8 February will see the collections of 30 designers including those from the international arena. There will also be 15 models from overseas on the ramp, along with 30 modes from Sri Lanka. The latter will include participants from Supermodel Sri Lanka as well.
“Every year we get closer to our dream of creating a dynamic fashion industry in Sri Lanka which is recognised internationally,” Singh said. “While staying true to our objective, we add new aspects which will enhance the industry like this year’s Bright Spark shows, the online retail program with wow.lk and crafts in fashion. Our aim every year is to think of innovative ways of including the prospects of fashion design in Sri Lanka and to nurture new talent in the local design industry.”
Food and fashion is yet another addition to CFW’s calendar and the host hotel, Hilton will showcase a celebrity chef during the fashion week. Hilton along with Wineworld will also have an international mixologist to add flavour to the menus.
Title sponsor, HSBC has been instrumental in its partnership with CFW to encourage and promote the fashion industry. HSBC CEO Sri Lanka and Maldives Patrick Gallagher expressed delight in partnering with the fashion week to open doors for young designers in the international industry.
“Throughout the seven year strategic partnership, we have seen how a simple fashion show has evolved in to a multifaceted one, promising designers as well as other partners something bigger every year,” Gallagher said. “We hope the event will continue to propel the fashion industry to even greater heights and experiment newer and innovative fashion concepts for local and international audiences.”
Brandix will provide inspiration through new techniques of creating fashion pieces and a design centre while Land Rover is the official fashion automobile for CFW. Dialog will come through as the technology partner.
Dialog, which was recently appointed as the iPhone provider in Sri Lanka will also be the official mobile phone provider for CFW while promoting retail trade through wow.lk.
Official fashion retail advisor for the event is Odel while Vision Care has been dubbed the official eyewear partner. Ramani Fernando Salons are the official hair and make-up partner, while Colombo Jewellery Stores (CJS) is the official fashion jewellery designer. Hameedias, Wineworld and The British Council are also official partners of CFW.
