Fashion
Lilamani celebrates birthday with style
Gracious charm and hospitality at its best was enjoyed by the many friends and relations who gathered to wish Lilamani, popularly called “Lala,” all the best on her birthday, celebrated at the Victorian Room of the Kingsbury Hotel.
The guests enjoyed sparkling conversation, and cake and wine. There was a gourmet spread and music from a live band.Of course style was right on top of the ring and many women gave the impression of having stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine.
With Lilamani and her sisters and nieces among the best dressed, her friends, too, joined the brigade of style. Some doned exquisite sarees and glamorous gowns while others kept it minimal, yet stylish, in smart casuals.
By Zanita Careem
Dr. Lilamani Wijayaratna was a general Physician who worked in UK, having qualified from the Colombo Medical Faculty, she served as a medical officer for many years in Sri Lanka before she moved to UK.
While medicine and fashion are for apart Dr. Lilamani, or “Lala” as friends called her was the exception to the rule.””
“My first love was medicine” she says recalling her desire to be a doctor which was my childhood dream’’ While this desire was within her throughout, style and fashion was part of her life. Hailing from a creative family, her father,Donald Wijayaratna, owner of the then popular Donald Studios and her artistic and creative mother who she adores, had a strong influence on her life and career.Lilamani affirms that her parents creative genes influenced her in many ways than one . ‘I feel my mother’s fashion vibes were felt within me from childhood. From the time time we were kids my mother made sure we were impeccably dressed and fashion was always part of our dressing sense’ she says.Having broken into the fashion world while being a doctor, Lilamani had many fashion shows in UK as well as in Sri Lanka showcasing her clothes designed by her.
Now back home on a permanent basis after a lucrative career in UK, Lilamani is now very much involved in sustainable welfare and social work.She is not just adored by her friends for success in her medical career, but also her style mantra. Whenever and wherever she attends an event , Lilamani emerges as a mesmerising embodiment of elegance leaving an indelible imprint on the tapestry of fashion,effortlessly embodying a harmonious blend of grace,style and timeless allure.
Her birthday soiree was nothing short of a glamorous affair. For this grand occasion, Lilamani wore a stunning ensemble which was both classic and stunning. Some of Lilamani’s batchmates from the Medical College were in attendance. Will Lilamani with her talent and creativity take up to designing clothes?
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]
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