Life style

Softwear engineer turns bridal designer

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/1

by Zanita Careem

AMORINE is Hasanthi Hapugoda’s brand label established in 2017 and I specialized in couture, custom made bridals and designer wear. The Term “Amorine derives from Latin word Love. Love is beautiful and this term has a strong feeling

.I have my own designer studio where customers can and discuss details of their preferences/likes and dislikes regarding the bridal or designer wear because every girl has a dream/ idea of what they want. So I always listen to them in order to understand what my clients really want from me before customizing their designer outfit in a way it suits them. . One of the unique factors that sets AMORINE apart from others is that each designer saree is truly one of a kind.

Little bit about myself and experience

My name is Hasanthi Hapugoda. I studied at Musaeus College Colombo 7 until O/Ls and did advanced level in Gateway International School-Colombo. For my higher studies I graduated from Staffordshire University, UK majoring in BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology in 2012.

After graduating from College, I was recruited as a software QA engineer by one of the leading software company in sri lanka. After few years I joined and worked as senior software QA Engineer and a QA project lead in a Singapore based IT Company.

After completing over four years in the IT industry, I thought of stepping down from my IT career and pursuing my childhood dream of becoming an entrepreneur in the fashion Industry. It was indeed a big decision and every day is a learning experience for me. For me everyday was a another day I learnt new ideas, inspiration related to the fashion industry. With four years of experience I became a self taught designer

Describe the Hasanthi bride?

The Hasanthi bride is original with a sophisticated, tasteful style. She looks for the perfect combination of quality and originality and is not swayed by momentary trends.

Tell us about your design process. What are your first steps when designing a new collection? How long does it take for your ideas to come to fruition?

Several months before starting the design process, I create a mood board for inspiration. I then sketch out the silhouettes I want to include in the collection. My head pattern maker and I work together to bring these silhouettes to life with muslin fittings. In my opinion, this is the most important part of the process because this is where we will make adjustments to perfect the initial shape and fit of the gown. Once finalized, the muslins become the blueprint of what will come next.I then sketch out embroidery layouts directly on to the pattern, and these layouts are meticulously detailed and are often sketched several times to align perfectly with the curves of the body.

On average, the entire process takes about three to four months.

What do you think are the most important aspects for a bride to consider when choosing her wedding gown?

I think every bride has some type of vision for how she wants to look on her wedding day. When you do dress shopping, I think it is important for her to be open-minded and to try on various styles. Sometimes the bride ends up with a completely different silhouette or style then what she originally had in mind. So when shopping for a garment as special as your wedding dress, trusting your consultant is key!

There are several aspects of your designs that set you apart from other designers, such as offering custom options and producing all your beadwork by hand. What made these decisions so important when you began creating your own designs?

A wedding is a very personalized event for a bride and groom. With a sea of options to choose from, a bride may fall in love with different aspects of several different dresses, or she may want to customize a gown to make it uniquely hers. I believe a wedding gown is one of the most important garments a woman will ever wear, and it should be nothing short of exactly how she wants it.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Inspiration comes in many ways for me. I get inspired when I watch fashion shows and read magazines to keep up with the trends

Are there any current or upcoming trends you are excited to include in your designs?

Yes! I want to add different elements, like draping, pleating, and beading to the dresses and bring them together seamlessly.

Can you give us any details for what you have in store for your next collection?

We plan on incorporating wow factors that may not be noticeable at first glance!

Tell us about your beginnings and what made you to enter the world bridal fashion?

I’m very fond and passionate about fashion. I believe fashion is an integral part of a woman’s life and they deserve to easily understand what’s best for them and what colours enhance their beauty. I also believe that every girl should try different trends rather than ignoring it, it really improves the quality of life naturally. As fashion designing and dressmaking has been my hobby since childhood. As a little girl I collected small pieces of fabric and stitched beautiful clothes for my dolls. I still remember how my parents would praise my creations and tell how creative I was. And back then when I was small my mom used to design sarees as well, that was her hobby. So I got the exposure in this area and I loved it when I was small.

I designed my first saree in the year 2014 just for fun. At that time, I was working in one of the leading software company as a software engineer. It came out really nice and I was able to sell it just within a day. Later on I began designing customized designer sarees for my family, friends and office colleagues. However, at that time, it was difficult for me to meet the demand as I was also working fulltime. My aim was to start my own designer collection one day as an entrepreneur. And today I’m happy that I have been able to achieve my dream.

My designs speak volumes for the bride. Less is more is my design philosophy

Most of my designs unique but I love to mix different color combinations and create new designs. I have not restricted myself in how or what inspires me. I don’t get inspired by only one thing but by all the beautiful things around me. It is more like creating magic with different fabrics, colors, shapes, all the hand embellishments are created with so much emphasis and with much effort

Being a wedding dress designer. What part do you enjoy most?

There is a saying from ‘Marc Anthony’ if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. This is a passion for me than a job. I love what I do. And always my motivation has been the feedback of my clients. When I do a design and made it to a perfection with love and care, and when the client is happy, it’s more like a self-satisfaction that you can’t buy for money. It motivates me to do more and more.

What is your collection called and why?

I always believe that customers are kings Everybody dream s of a beautiful bride when you are young So we should give them a chance to decide what she wants.. Be their style modern, traditional, western, classic romantic or contemporary we will always work with them closely from start to finish through custom sketches, attention to details to bring out the best suited designer bridal and also our designer outfits ,which are made with quality materials but it should have a memorable impression.

What is the best advice you give a bride?

I always tell my brides to follow their instinct, dream or ideas throughout the selection of their wedding outfit. Always listen to your heart in what you like rather than sticking to a trend or what someone else wants. A bride should feel that she’s wearing the perfect dress which makes her feel confidant and beautiful.

I love to do Batik bridals depicting our culture ,the fauna and flora.

The biggest challenges I faced?

The biggest challenge I faced was to establish a customer base apart from my family, cousins and friends when I first started my label in 2017. Designing bridal sarees was a big challenge when we had established designers . Stiff competition and many challenges and obstacles I had to build a certain level of trust and confidence among my clients. That was challenging but I overcame all impedimentsthat within a short period of time.

I would like to specially mention my supportive family who helped me to make my dreams come true and encouraged me to make my cSareer transition.

hasi.hapugoda@gmail.com

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Life style

Salman Faiz leads with vision and legacy

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/15

Thilina Walpola

At the helm - blending heritage with vision

Salman Faiz has turned his family legacy into a modern sensory empire. Educated in London, he returned to Sri Lanka with a global perspective and a refined vision, transforming the family legacy into a modern sensory powerhouse blending flavours,colours and fragrances to craft immersive sensory experiences from elegant fine fragrances to natural essential oils and offering brand offerings in Sri Lanka. Growing up in a world perfumed with possibility, Aromatic Laboratories (Pvt) Limited founded by his father he has immersed himself from an early age in the delicate alchemy of fragrances, flavours and essential oils.

Salman Faiz did not step into Aromatic Laboratories Pvt Limited, he stepped into a world already alive with fragrance, precision and quiet ambition. Long before he became the Chairman of this large enterprise, founded by his father M. A. Faiz and uncle M.R. Mansoor his inheritance was being shaped in laboratories perfumed with possibility and in conversations that stretched from Colombo to outside the shores of Sri Lanka, where his father forged early international ties, with the world of fine fragrance.

Growing up amidst raw materials sourced from the world’s most respected fragrance houses, Salman Faiz absorbed the discipline of formulation and the poetry of aroma almost by instinct. When Salman stepped into the role of Chairman, he expanded the company’s scope from a trusted supplier into a fully integrated sensory solution provider. The scope of operations included manufacturing of flavours, fragrances, food colours and ingredients, essential oils and bespoke formulations including cosmetic ingredients. They are also leading supplier of premium fragrances for the cosmetic,personal care and wellness sectors Soon the business boomed, and the company strengthened its international sourcing, introduced contemporary product lines and extended its footprint beyond Sri Lanka’s borders.

Where raw materials transform into refined fragrance

Salman Faiz -carrying forward a legacy

Today, Aromatic Laboratories stands as a rare example of a second generation. Sri Lankan enterprise that has retained its soul while embracing scale and sophistication. Under Salman Faiz’s leadership, the company continues to honour his father’s founding philosophy that every scent and flavour carries a memory, or story,and a human touch. He imbibed his father’s policy that success was measured not by profit alone but the care taken in creation, the relationships matured with suppliers and the trust earned by clients.

“We are one of the leading companies manufacturing fragrances, dealing with imports,exports in Sri Lanka. We customise fragrances to suit specific applications. We also source our raw materials from leading French company Roberte’t in Grasse

Following his father, for Salman even in moments of challenge, he insisted on grace over haste, quality over conveniences and long term vision over immediate reward under Salman Faiz’s stewardship the business has evolved from a trusted family enterprise into a modern sensory powerhouse.

Now the company exports globally to France, Germany, the UK, the UAE, the Maldives and collaborates with several international perfumes and introduces contemporary products that reflect both sophistication and tradition.

We are one of the leading companies. We are one of the leading companies manufacturing fine and industrial fragrance in Sri Lanka. We customise fragrances to suit specific applications said Faiz

‘We also source our raw materials from renowned companies, in Germany, France, Dubai,Germany and many others.Our connection with Robertet, a leading French parfume House in Grasse, France runs deep, my father has been working closely with the iconic French company for years, laying the foundation for the partnership, We continue even today says Faiz”

Today this business stands as a rare example of second generation Sri Lankan entrepreneurship that retains its souls while embracing scale and modernity. Every aroma, every colour and every flavour is imbued with the care, discipline, and vision passed down from father to son – a living legacy perfected under Salmon Faiz’s guidance.

By Zanita Careem

Life style

Home coming with a vision

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/15

Thilina Walpola

Uruwela Estate team

Harini and Chanaka cultivating change

When Harini and Chanaka Mallikarachchi returned to Sri Lanka after more than ten years in the United States, it wasn’t nostalgia alone that they brought home . It was purpose.Beneath the polished resumes and strong computer science backgrounds lay something far more personal- longing to reconnect with the land, and to give back to the country that shaped their memories. From that quiet but powerful decision was born Agri Vision not just an agricultural venture but a community driven movement grounded in sustainability ,empowerment and heritage. They transform agriculture through a software product developed by Avya Technologies (Pvt Limited) Combining global expertise with a deep love for their homeland, they created a pioneering platform that empowers local farmers and introduce innovative, sustainable solutions to the country’s agri sector.

After living for many years building lives and careers in theUnited States, Harini and Chanaka felt a powerful pull back to their roots. With impressive careers in the computer and IT sector, gaining global experience and expertise yet, despite their success abroad, their hearts remained tied to Sri Lanka – connection that inspired their return where they now channel their technological know-how to advance local agriculture.

For Harini and Chanaka, the visionaries behind Agri Vision are redefining sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka. With a passion for innovation and community impact, they have built Agri Vision into a hub for advanced agri solutions, blending global expertise with local insight.

In Sri Lanka’s evolving agricultural landscape, where sustainability and authenticity are no longer optional but essential. Harini and Chanaka are shaping a vision that is both rooted and forward looking. In the heart of Lanka’s countryside, Uruwela estate Harini and Chanaka alongside the ever inspiring sister Malathi, the trio drives Agri Vision an initiative that fuses cutting edge technology with age old agricultural wisdom. At the core of their agri philosophy lies two carefully nurtured brands artisan tea and pure cinnamon, each reflecting a commitment to quality, heritage and people.

Armed with global exposure and professional backgrounds in the technology sector,they chose to channel thier experiences into agriculture, believing that true progress begins at home.

: Avya Technologies (Pvt) ltd software company that developed Agri Vision

: Chanaka,Harini and Shakya Mallikarachchi and Malathi Malathi dias (middle)

But the story of Agri Vision is as much about relationships as it is about technology. Harini with her sharp analytical mind, ensures the operations runs seamlessly Chanaka, the strategist looks outward, connecting Agri Vision to globally best practices and Malathi is their wind behind the wings, ensures every project maintains a personal community focussed ethos. They cultivate hope, opportunity and a blueprint for a future where agriculture serves both the land and the people who depend on it .

For the trio, agriculture is not merely about cultivation, it is about connection. It is about understanding the rhythm of the land, respecting generations of farming knowledge, and that growth is shared by the communities that sustain it. This belief forms the backbone of Agro’s vision, one that places communities not only on the periphery, but at the very heart of every endeavour.

Artisan tea is a celebration of craft and origin sourced from selected growing regions and produced with meticulous attention to detail, the tea embodier purity, traceability and refinement, each leaf is carefully handled to preserve character and flavour, reflecting Sri Lanka’s enduring legacy as a world class tea origin while appealing to a new generation of conscious consumers complementing this is pure Cinnamon, a tribute to authentic Ceylon, Cinnamon. In a market saturated with substitutes, Agri vision’s commitment to genuine sourcing and ethical processing stands firm.

By working closely with cinnamon growers and adhering to traditional harvesting methods, the brands safeguards both quality and cultural heritage.

What truly distinguishes Harini and Chanake’s Agri Vision is their community approach. By building long term partnerships with smallholders. Farmers, the company ensures fair practises, skill development and sustainable livelihoods, These relationships foster trust and resilience, creating an ecosystem where farmers are valued stakeholders in the journey, not just suppliers.

Agri vision integrates sustainable practices and global quality standards without compromising authenticity. This harmony allows Artisan Tea and Pure Cinnamon to resonate beyond borders, carrying with them stories of land, people and purpose.

As the brands continue to grow Harini and Chanaka remain anchored in their founding belief that success of agriculture is by the strength of the communities nurtured along the way. In every leaf of tea and every quill of cinnamon lies a simple yet powerful vision – Agriculture with communities at heart.

By Zanita Careem

Life style

Marriot new GM Suranga

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/15

Thilina Walpola

Suranga new G. M. at Mariott

Courtyard by Marriott Colombo has welcomed Suranga Peelikumbura as its new General Manager, ushering in a chapter defined by vision, warmth, and global sophistication.

Suranga’s story is one of both breadth and depth. Over two decades, he has carried the Marriott spirit across continents, from the shimmering luxury of The Ritz-Carlton in Doha to the refined hospitality of Ireland, and most recently to the helm of Resplendent Ceylon as Vice President of Operations. His journey reflects not only international mastery but also a devotion to Sri Lanka’s own hospitality narrative.

What distinguishes Suranga is not simply his credentials but the philosophy that guides him. “Relationships come first, whether with our associates, guests, partners, or vendors. Business may follow, but it is the strength of these connections that defines us.” It is this belief, rooted in both global perspective and local heart, that now shapes his leadership at Courtyard Colombo.

At a recent gathering of corporate leaders, travel partners, and media friends, Suranga paid tribute to outgoing General Manager Elton Hurtis, hon oring his vision and the opportunities he created for associates to flourish across the Marriott world. With deep respect for that legacy, Suranga now steps forward to elevate guest experiences, strengthen community ties, and continue the tradition of excellence that defines Courtyard Colombo.

From his beginnings at The Lanka Oberoi and Cinnamon Grand Colombo to his leadership roles at Weligama Bay Marriott and Resplendent Ceylon, Suranga’s career is a testament to both resilience and refinement. His return to Marriott is not merely a professional milestone, it is a homecoming.