Fashion
Celebrations wrapped up with extravagance
by Zanita Careem
If you haven’t been following Priyanthi Fernando’s style trajectory over the years, it’s important to note that Priyanthi has been making waves with her sartorial picks for over a decade now.
A look back at the icon’s style files reveal a series of noteworthy ensembles, including the long emerald green gown from the USA what she wore for her birthday have made fashion statement. From silky sarees to eloborate gowns and suits, Priyanthi closet is versatality.
Always in the spotlight, Priyanthi carries herself with utmost elegance, offering even more to the ensembles she wears. “For me, I see style as a resource to access my confidence, that represent who I am, and help me to succeed.”
She added that she doesn’t regard her wardrobe as an aspirational commodity. Instead she thinks of the clothes she wears as functional accessories. For her, style is about so much more than the clothes you wear. It’s about finding what makes you feel confident.
Priyanthi’s sartorial prowess remains unquestionable at all times. Her wardrobe collection boasts variety and versatility. Priyanthi doesn’t stray away from bold colours, bold patterns or out of the box silhouettes – whether she is wearing saree or rocking risque plunging recklines, she does it with panache.
In the world of fashions, where trends are here today, gone tomorrow, there are a few individuals who manage to stand out and leave an indelible mark. Pri is undeniably a personality who epitomises modern day fashion. Her charitable ventures resonates her tenacious personality.
Priyanthi Fernando or Preethi as she is popularly called amongst her friends celebrated her birthday at Kingsburry Hote recently, The party was the ultimate celebrations, exclusivity and exuberance with Colombo’s who’s who attending the event. Glitz glamour,and elegance were all part of the celebrations. For the occasion, Priyanthi wore a long emerald green gown dripping with crystals and beads which spelled magic . She teaned up the stunning wonder with emeralds and diamonds as her jewellery. Dangling earrings, a diamond bangle and a emerald embellished statement ring wrapped up her accessory game. The celebrations were filled with joy, the decor was breathtaking with thousands of candles lighting up he banquet hall. The hall was transformed into an extravagant visual spectacle adorned with fresh flowers. Guests was greeted with a stunning entrance adorned with cascading floral arrangements providing a picturesque backdrop for guests to capture their memories. One of the most striking feature was the tall birthday cake complemening the décor. Attention to detail and grandeur was evident in every aspect of the celebrations. The dress code for the invitees formed an interesting part of the event, curating the atmosphere. The theme for the evening for guests were gowns in plain colours for women and full suite in black for men. She spared no expense making the catering match up to the lavish celebrations A spellbinding musical extratravaganza with performances by Misty and his musicians created lasting memories for all.Her children flew to Sri Lanka for this e special occasion.
Christmas is here and we are eager to begin the celebrations. Everything about December is breathtaking and spectacular, with the rapid shift in the weather and the increasing camaraderie. The cherry on top is the excitement of the New Year itself! The joyous month of the New Year and Christmas is filled with delicious delicacies, elegant decorations, lovely attire, and joyful vibes everywhere. Dressing up for Christmas in warm and fashionable red outfits is something we all love. However, if you are still confused about your Christmas attire, don’t worry, we are here to rescue you. When it comes to fashion and style, no one can do it better than our Bollywood queens. Here are some red-hot looks from our fav Bollywood divas to inspire your Christmas outfits.
Kiara Advani is a true fashionista who can pull off any look. While co-ord sets are among the season’s hottest fashions. In a red-coordinated ensemble, Kiara is offering fashion advice to everyone. Her ensemble is the ultimate Christmas attire since it perfectly combines sexiness and elegance. She is wearing a bustier crop top and a high-rise skirt that accentuate her physique. Bronze bangles and earrings completed Kiara Advani’s outfit as
accessories. With this attire, you’ll definitely steal the show.
Huma’s red formal outfit serves as the ideal Christmas dress inspiration for you if you are not a fan of fancy attire and prefer a sleek and refined look. Whether it’s a casual gathering or a formal function, pantsuits look great on any occasion. In addition to being fashionable, it will also keep you warm. She looks great with a full-sleeved crimson jacket with a wide horizontal white stripe at the bust and straight-fit ankle leggings. For the best appearance, pair it with stud earrings and minimal makeup. Sara is a diva and she is slaying fashion goals in her little red dress with white frills.
If you wish to grab all the attention at the Christmas party then take cues from Sara and choose a red hot bodycon thigh-high slit little dress. Pair it up with a matching red jacket for the glam look and you will be ready to rock the Christmas party.
Among all the divas, Rakul Preet Singh is one of the most fashionable. The actress always dresses well, whether it’s in a gorgeous gown, party attire, or just something that’s too ethnic. Her red corset-style dress is stunning and a must-have for your Christmas wardrobe. It has an off-the-shoulder design, full sleeves, and a fitting nature. To get the glam look, wear it with pointed shoes and diamond drop earrings.
Talking about fashion and style and not mentioning Deepika Padukone is not fair. The queen of Bollywood looks amazing no matter what she wears. If you are tired of wearing dresses and gowns and want to try something different, her vibrant red power suit that exudes boss-woman energy is the ideal outfit inspiration. Her quirky bralette, which had a crisscross neckline, was polished off with a layer of preppy flair thanks to the oversized blazer’s design.
Award-winning floral designer Samitha Wijayasekara, owner of The Wedding Flowers Gallery Pvt Ltd. and a proud WCIC member, recently presented a stunning collection of floral wearable art at WCIC Ramp Up 2024. Using a unique wire technique, the fresh flower designs were paired with garments by fashion designer Charith Wijesekera. The event, produced and directed by Lou Ching Wong, took place at the Hilton Colombo. Dress designer: Charith Wijesekera. Photos: Achira Jayasinghe
Samitha Wijayasekara, founder of The Wedding Flowers Gallery (Pvt) Ltd., is recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s top floral designers. Her journey into floristry began unexpectedly after starting her career in accountancy. Fascinated by the beauty of flowers from a young age, Samitha transitioned into floristry, founding her business in 2008. Over time, The Wedding Flowers Gallery became renowned for its creative and bespoke floral designs for weddings and events.
Samitha’s commitment to excellence has earned her numerous accolades, including:
= 2015: Women’s Entrepreneur of the Year (Bronze Award)
= 2016: National Excellence Award, 2nd Runner-Up (Medium Category)
= 2016: Entrepreneur Award, Western Province Merit Award
= 2023: Sri Lanka Wedding Awards (SLWA) – Appreciation Award
Her international training, including courses with renowned floral designers such as Wendy Andrade, Gregor Lersch, and Pirjo Koppi, has further solidified her reputation. In 2015, she became the first Sri Lankan member of the World Flower Council and introduced “Wearable Floral Art’ to Sri Lanka, blending fashion with floristry in a sustainable way.
A video of a fashion shoot in India has gone viral and unexpectedly turned a group of underprivileged school children into local celebrities.
The footage shows the children, most of them girls between the ages of 12 and 17, dressed in red and gold outfits fashioned from discarded clothes.
The teenagers designed and tailored the outfits and also doubled up as models to showcase their creations, with the grubby walls and terraces of the slum providing the backdrop for their ramp walk.
The video was filmed and edited by a 15-year-old boy.
The video first appeared earlier this month on the Instagram page of Innovation for Change, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the city of Lucknow.
The charity works with about 400 children from the city’s slums, providing them free food, education and job skills. The children featured in the shoot are students of this NGO.
Mehak Kannojia, one of the models in the video, told the BBC that she and her fellow students closely followed the sartorial choices of Bollywood actresses on Instagram and often duplicated some of their outfits for themselves.
“This time, we decided to pool our resources and worked as a group,” the 16-year-old said.
For their project, they chose wisely – a campaign by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, one of India’s top fashion designers who has dressed Bollywood celebrities, Hollywood actresses and billionaires. In 2018, Kim Kardashian wore his sequinned red sari for a Vogue shoot.
Mukherjee is also known as the “king of weddings” in India. He has dressed thousands of brides, including Bollywood celebrities such as Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone. Priyanka Chopra married Nick Jonas in a stunning red Sabyasachi outfit.
IMehak said their project, called Yeh laal rang (the colour red), was inspired by the designer’s heritage bridal collection.
“We sifted through the clothes that had come to us in donation and picked out all the red items. Then we zeroed in on the outfits we wanted to make and began putting them together.”
It was intense work – the girls stitched about a dozen outfits in three-four days but, Mehak says, they had “great fun doing it”.
For the ramp walk, Mehak says they studied the models carefully in Sabyasachi videos and copied their moves.
“Just like his models, some of us wore sunglasses, one drank from a sipper with a straw, while another walked carrying a cloth bundle under her arm.”
Some of it, Mehak says, came together organically. “At one point in the shoot, I was supposed to laugh. At that moment, someone said something funny and I just burst out laughing.”
It was an ambitious project, but the result has won hearts in India. Put together on a shoestring budget with donated clothes, the video went viral after Mukherjee reposted it on his Instagram feed with a heart emoji.
The campaign won widespread praise, with many on social media comparing their work to that of professionals.
The viral video has brought enormous attention to the charity and its school has been visited by several TV channels, some of the children were invited to participate in shows on popular FM radio stations and Bollywood actress Tamannah Bhatia visited them to accept a scarf from the children.
The response, Mehak says, has been “totally unexpected”.
“It feels like a dream come true. All my friends are sharing the video and saying ‘you’ve become famous’. My parents were full of joy when they heard about all the attention we are getting.
“We are feeling wonderful. Now we have only one dream left – to meet Sabyasachi.”
The shoot, however, also received criticism, with some wondering if showing young girls dressed as brides could encourage child marriage in a country where millions of girls are still married off by their families before they turn 18 – the legal age.
The Innovation for Change addressed the concern in a post on Instagram, saying they had no intention to encourage child marriage.
“Our aim is not to promote child marriage in any way. Today, these girls are able to do something like this by fighting against such ideas and restrictions. Please appreciate them, otherwise the morale of these children will fall.”
[BBC]
-
Sports6 days agoSri Lanka to mend fences with veterans
-
Sports4 days agoPathirana set to sling his way into Kiwi hearts
-
Opinion6 days agoIs AKD following LKY?
-
Editorial7 days agoHobson’s choice and U-turns
-
News5 days agoSL issues USD 10.4 bn macro-linked bonds
-
Opinion6 days ago‘A degree is not a title’ – a response
-
News2 days agoOffice of CDS likely to be scrapped; top defence changes on the cards
-
Editorial5 days agoRanil’s advice