Fashion
Charini’s stunning couture adds to vibrant tapestry of local fashion
Herbert de Givenchy once said “The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress”. This adage resonates with Charini Suriyage’s design philosphy. She strives to create pieces that flatter and enhance the natural beauty of the wearer, rather than overpowering or restricting them.
Her rise in the fashion world is a powerful narrative of grit, ambition and relentless innovation. A rising star, Charini has transformed her passion into a flourishing business empire, becoming a much sought after name in the fashion industry. Charini is more than a designer. She’s a story teller weaving artistry and ethical practices into her collection. Her keen eye for details and unmatched creativity made her atelier stand out in a crowded industry.
During the early stages fortunately for me creating brand awareness happened quite spontaneously. I launched the brand with Colombo fashion week and then worked on expanding my clientele locally .. at that point the biggest challenge at the start has been delivering the orders exactly the way I envisioned as I didn’t have a strong enough team at the start who could make my vision of the design beacons reality.
Q What transformation have you witnessed in the fashion industry that benefit newcomers?
The biggest transformation I see is the fact that the clients are more aware of designer wear as opposed to fast fashion driven high street brands and also takes pride in shopping locally supporting Sri Lankan talent . That’s a huge benefit as scalability in a small island can be quite a challenge .
Q What do you believe sets your fashion label apart from others in the industry?
I don’t want people to just shop for a piece of clothing , I want people to own a part of a story .. I want them to belong to a brand that’s unique and dressing up to be fun . We aim to make ever client feel bold and sophisticated and above all comfortable irrespective of shape and size.
Q Sustainability and eco -conscious fashion have become increasingly important in recent years. How do you incorporates these principles into your designs and production?
While I was studying for my masters at London College of Fashion I studied in detail on how fashion brands could be ethical for my thesis .
Then I took part at London fashion week showcasing my designs at the ethical fashion showcase and was mentored by pioneers in the ethical fashion sector in the UK. This made me analyze every single step of the process in the manner international brands are expended to do . After moving back to Sri Lanka I still practice how we can make circular fashion the way to go for the brand . At the moment together With CFW responsibility meter we monitor ten streps of how each garment can be eco -conscious.
Q What inspired you to embark on your journey of improving the livelihood of artisans?
CHARINI as a brand has always taken a variety of steps to do what’s right by the community and the planet . We work alongside a number of diverse traditional Sri Lankan craft communities to develop our collections. We maximize material usage minimizing wastage with smart pattern cutting techniques .
We use eco- friendly printing methods so that we reduces chemical wastage . We have a line of batiks and other craft incorporated collections that is continuously retailed at the store which have given these age old crafts a modern twist that’s more appealing to the current customer base.We believe in timeless fashion where our customers take pride in re wearing what we have created for years . That’s definitely a testament of how a brand can reduce their impact on the planet .
Q Your brand has expanded internationally. Can you discuss the challenges and opportunities you’ve have encountered while taking your designs to a global audience?
It has been a wonderful journey starting a brand from scratch and working hard to make it grow . The brand was retailing with international platforms in UK and Europe and now is focusing on UAE and south east Asia as these are the potential markets for what the brand offers.
Q What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
I’m generally a person who is quite fascinated about a lot of things .. life on its own inspire me everyday At the moment it’s painting techniques… be it water colour art or temple paintings
Q How did you decide to start your own label?
I started setting up the brand while I was working at MAS doing a full time job . I started in a small scale and then when the brand was ready to stand on its own I opened a studio in Colombo 03 with a design office , sewing facility and a retail area where we cater to bespoke needs of the clients as well.
Q You are known for your unconventional prints and silhouettes and being fearless to experiment? Your views
As a designer I feel it’s our responsibility to create our own canvas . And for me it’s creating prints with a concepts and stories . The silhouettes are what makes these canvases into beautiful art on the body . I have always liked fluid drapy silhouettes as I feel it’s a great way to make feminine and sensual designs that are comfortable for the body . End of the day we live in an island and for me it’s important that we make fashion for the context that we are in .
I never shy from experimenting with unique silhouettes that complement the wearer . I think that’s what we should offer and differentiate ourselves from mainstream designers .
