SriLankan Airlines stewardesses on the catwalk at Colombo Fashion Week

Colombo will acquire an aura of colourful haute couture and glamour when Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) dazzles on Sri Lanka’s Independence Weekend on 4, 5 and 6 February.

Adding that extra sprinkling of ‘ooomph’ to the catwalk on Sunday, 6 February, will be SriLankan Airlines stewardesses modelling their new uniforms – the iconic and charming Kandyan saree, albeit with a distinctive modern appeal and a contemporary look, as the new palette of colours plays with the soft hues of sea blue.

SriLankan Airlines is the official carrier for the event and will fly in models, designers and fashion industry professionals from all across its network.

Some of the world’s most inspired designers will display their collections on the catwalk to the popping of flashlights as couture comes alive during this fashion week – a culmination of the fruits of intense creativity.

Now in its eighth consecutive edition, the HSBC CFW is globally diarised as a must-attend event.



It has successfully elevated Colombo from a mere tourist destination to a pulsating regional fashion hub with international and local couturiers showcasing their creativity on the catwalk.

As the ‘Official Airline Sponsor,’ the national carrier SriLankan Airlines has joined hands with HSBC and the Colombo Hilton to offer exclusive SriLankan Holidays packages which exude both glitz and glamour. These packages are being sold network-wide and are available exclusively for HSBC cardholders. 

All packages consist of return economy class airfare to Colombo, inclusive of taxes, accommodation at the Colombo Hilton based on twin-sharing basis with breakfast for two nights and return airport transfers in a private vehicle.

Packages also include an invitation to one night of the HSBC CFW extravaganza. Furthermore, an invitation to the not-to-be-missed after party is also included in this swanky package.

Attractive package rates from Indian cities range from INR 21,200 onwards. Packages are available in the Indian-subcontinent from Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Trichy and Trivandrum, and also from Karachi and the Maldives. SriLankan Holidays’ CFW packages are also available in the Far East and Middle East.

This is the year of ‘Visit Sri Lanka 2011,’ as the country opens its doors to an anticipated 750,000 foreign visitors. Sri Lanka is, in parallel, gearing up for 2.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016 – an ambitious project proudly partnered by SriLankan Airlines.



CFW starts tonight

THE much-looked-forward-to fashion event, ‘Colombo Fashion Week,’ is scheduled to kickoff this evening at the Hilton, Colombo.

Fashion Week, which was initially hosted in 2003, aims at creating a sustainable local fashion industry. Through the event, the organisers hope to create a dais for designers to step into the international world of fashion.

While the event invites new and talented designers aboard to showcase their talents, it also hosts popular designers of Sri Lanka as well as international designers, giving the event a truly international flair.

This year’s Fashion Week is said to boast one of the strongest line-ups of fashion with 12 international designers and 22 local designers and models from India and Pakistan in addition to the local models set to strut across the ramp.

President of CFW Ajay Vir Singh writes on the official CFW website: “Sri Lanka is poised to become one of the most influential nations in South Asia. It is currently experiencing immense sense of optimism and growth. Its close proximity to India and its strategic location in the region makes it a perfect hub for fashion in South Asia. With a population of over 1.5 billion, South Asia is showing great potential as the next important luxury and fashion market.”

The event acts as a driving force to create the concept of a hub, placing itself as the Spring Summer and Resort wear fashion week.

Held on three days, the Fashion Week will also showcase the first-ever Ethical Fashion Week in South Asia on its second day. Titled ‘Fashion Ethical,’ this is a shared effort of ethical representation from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Malaysia, which would help Sri Lanka become the ethical fashion hub for the region.