The face of fashion is changing. Consumers today want to buy from local designers. They want to find unique pieces over mass-produced department store goods, express their values through their clothing, and support eco-friendly and sustainable businesses. So with this much more diverse and engaged pool of eager shoppers, fashion designers are popping up like wildflowers to meet these nuanced demands. But that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a piece of cake for an independent designer to successfully break into the market and get her fashion brand off the ground. Sure, the rise of social media helps get access to interested buyers, and it’s easier than ever to start up a good-looking Instagram account to present to the world and start gaining an audience for their unique style concepts. But in the words of this designer Neshara “there’s no one-size-fits-all in this business anymore.”

by Zanita Careem

She is Hasara Neshanthi, who has the passion and love towards the fashion world. She started her career as a Banker following her Professional Qualification in Human Resources Management and Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

An highly performing banking professional, she was never satisfied with her career but always inspired to start something on her own. She loved fashion, and sewing Her mother has been a great influence on her life,and mastered almost everything from cross-stitch work, paper quilling, pot decorations, hand stitching, artificial plant making, sticker printing to screen printing on clothes and etc.). Finally in my late 20s (in 2017) I decided to follow my heart and determined to start my own fashion brand.

She started her Diploma in Fashion Technology at LIFT and completed it successfully.

But in 2018 she gave up her lucrative banking career and started perusing her own Brand named “Neshàra”. Neshàra encompasses a clothing brand which customizes women’s designer wear from Bridals, Sarees to Indian wear. As a brand Neshàra is always proud and focussed on attention to detail and hand embellishments. She believes fashion designing is also a world in itself, involving technology, creativity, media of expressing your own emotions, fashion, design and also business.

As a designer she would love to see customers delighted when they lay their eyes on the final product through her brand “Neshàra”. One of her desires is to do a fashion runway with a beautiful collection in future. “Although business has slowed down due to unexpected Covid-19 pandemic situation I am positive that everything will return back to normal so that we all can continue our beautiful lives from where it was halted.” she quipped

Your niche in the Fashion world?

“Neshàra” is a clothing brand which customizes women’s designer wear from bridals, sarees, Indian wear, evening wear to formal wear. I always want to create something unique yet simple. So, my niche market would be clients with unorthodox fashion desires

What inspired you to drop a top banking career and into fashion?

Even though, I was an oustanding banking officer but I was never satisfied. I was always inspired to build something of my own. Since i my childhood I have seen how hard my father struggled and worked as a businessman and became successful in his dream which inspired me to start my own brand and work hard on it.

What are the difficulties you experienced when getting started?

I believe, starting your own business is a bit of a challenging task. What I realized people are hesitant to count on new designers unless you have good connections of networking. In the beginning, I faced many difficulties or customize but never gave up I started an online store since I did not have the capital to invest ion a large scale Most importantly I also wanted to experience how the business would grow and l I chose Instagram and Facebook as my online promoting platforms. And I was struggling to gain customers . But I think you learn from mistakes you do. I took them as lessons and learnt from them so that I may be my own master soon.Also what I strongly believed is that you should never get disappointed or discouraged by my failures. Nothing is easy in this world and only thing you should do is never give-up on your dreams and keep working hard to achieve those.

Your Challenges at the moment

Due to Covid-19 pandemic lot of businesses are facing downfall and mine too is not an exception. I started my career in Fashion designing in October 2018 and it got really boosted around February 2020 where it started to get two three orders every month and Finally I thought yes my time has come. But unfortunately we have to face a lockdown and business dropped . That time it was difficult . to find some fabrics, machines, dye products and etc due to government ban on imports and we have to find alternatives and move on with the business with all the prevailing safety measurements.

Your latest collection?

Actually speaking I’m working on a wedding dress collection these days.

What is different and special about your Brand?

I always focus on unique, simple and on quality but yet fashionable designs. As a brand “Neshàra” is always proud and focused on attention to detail and hand embellishments.

A

Banking and Fashion are two different poles. How did you fit into designing so well?

As I told earlier, with the influence of my mother I believe I had the ability and talent for art since my childhood where I always tried to do a lot of creative work and I still have a collection of various artworks from stitching to painting to other craft work which I have done since my childhood. Fashion is also a mode of art so all came naturally with the love and passion I have for the creativity.

What are your future aim?

One of my desires is to do a fashion runway with a beautiful collection in future and starting a boutique is my goals Also I want to start catering to foreign markets in future. I know it is a big dream, but nothing is lost if you try hard

Will your Brand move out of Colombo ?

Yes I do cater out of Colombo as well. Even though it is hard to get measurements personally, I get measurements online or else design according to standard UK measurements with basic customer requirements

Is there anyone who is special on your journey into designing?

My parents, brother and my husband have been my strength from the beginning. My father and brother has been my criticizers to encourage me to do better and my mother and husband have been my appreciators who always appreciate my work and motivate me.

Also I’m forever thankful to Mrs. Roshani Leanage (chairperson at LIFT) and Ms. Niroshani Leanage (Managing Director at LIFT) for lifting me up and making me believe in my true potential with their kind words. I still remember what I was told on my final presentation in my Fashion Diploma at LIFT. They appreciated my work and told that they believe that I would go a long way if I start something on my own which also motivated and encouraged me to start my own brand.

Well, also I gratefully remind Natasha, who always pushed me, encouraged me and believed in me to take this decision in quitting the job and starting my own brand, Thushini, one of my best friends who gave me freedom to design her home coming lehenga without a second thought even before I start my brand even though she has not seen any of my work. And, of course my first official customer Imali and all the others who supported me in my endeavor.