Sri Lanka Fashion Thread

[Amal]

Originally Posted by sjinadasa

Yeah, Now if everyone was like MAS

I think ODEL should have expanded to India a while ago. Wonder why they haven't.




At first impression, Otara Gunawardena, doesn’t come across as a retail mogul. The pioneering Sri Lankan businesswoman exhibits a certain reserved nature; she’s almost painfully shy. And much like Odel, the brand she created and took to soaring heights, there is a classy and understated elegance about her. We first meet at a reception hosted by the Sri Lankan High Commission to mark the beginning of the recently concluded Refreshingly Sri Lanka festival. She’s a surprise invitee but her presence among some of Sri Lanka’s most high profile personalities is no surprise at all. Everything about her is unassuming yet elegant. The Baglioni Hotel is one of several hotels in London’s stylish Kensington district that seem to have fewer than 30 rooms but chauffer their guests around in brand new Maybach’s and serve tea in the finest China. The architecture of the hotel is traditional and non-descript but the inside is anything but; much like Odel’s flagship store, and Otara’s pride and joy, in Colombo’s answer to Kensington; “Colombo 07”. Don’t expect Otara to be staying at the Park Lane Hilton or the like. Wee joints like the Baglioni hold secrets for Otara that average Joes and Janes like us don’t see. “London is one my favourite places because unlike a lot of booming cities London has a certain old world charm. It has forged ahead and leads the world in fashion and style, but with that charm intact. That is the kind of combination that I wanted to capture with our flagship store in Colombo.”

For the uninitiated, the Odel store at no. 05 Alexandra Road, Colombo 7 is more than a store. Set inside a massive former colonial residence, the store offers everything men’s and women’s wear to home furnishings and a dedicated section for “nature and souvenirs”. Spanning several well-adorned floors, the store is cutting edge retail therapy for Colombo’s discerningly fashionable and even a tourist attraction. While retailers such as House of Fashion offer cheap but relatively high quality clothing, Odel offers a Lifestyle. Otara says, “I have always strived to position the Odel store in much the same way as Harrods of London or C.K. Tangs in Singapore. One doesn’t go to such outlets with a specific aim of buying a particular thing. You go there for an experience. And you know that you will always get products that are unique, and are of extremely high quality”.

FULL STORY: http://www.odel.lk/index.php?page=aboutus&nav=pressroom

[phil.froelich]

but what about the ODEL expansion is it taking place or what...

[saraprobe]

2007 Sri Lankan unique designs!

[phil.froelich]

quite nice and fashionable...

[saraprobe]

What are your plans for the future? Regarding Odel…
We are making a lot of changes in the store. Fairly big changes, new concepts like the sari bar; that section has been completely revamped. There are three or four other sections that we have identified that we can give a whole new look. We are also opening a few other stores in the outskirts of Colombo not under Odel but another brand. We are also planning on expanding the store, have a new wing along with the parking lot. That is a very big project on its own.

http://www.nation.lk/2007/04/15/youth5.htm

[phil.froelich]

Yeah, this is the expansion that was discussed in another thread, i think construction is already underway for the new wing... ive seen it myself...

[saraprobe]

That is just the expansion at exciting ODEL isn’t it? I wonder wot’z the new store chain gonna be! Couldn’t be upmarket products!

[phil.froelich]

Oh and by the way ODEL is known as O&D out of Colombo they have bought 3-6 shops at the Realty Plaza-Ja-Ela offering similar products to the things in the ODEL store but only not the same shopping experience and it is outstation, but good for the Realty Plaza in JA-Ela

[saraprobe]

Why they have bought 3-6 shops? Is that because of the room size? any way god news, could be rival to NOLIMIT!

[saraprobe]

BAHRAIN-born beauty Jacqueline Fernandez is following a year's reign as Miss Sri Lanka with a new role, as her country's cultural ambassador to India. Sri Lanka's tourism board hand-picked the 22-year-old, who was one of the crowd's favourites in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant, to be its spokeswoman in India. She is also working on a feature film and furthering her modelling career while living in Mumbai, home to Bollywood, the world's largest film industry. "It really is very exciting," said Jackie, who returned to Bahrain to visit family and for the Grand Prix.

"When I was in Los Angeles (for the Miss Universe pageant) last year, everyone I met in Hollywood led me to Bollywood!

"Along with the modelling and acting contract in India, the Sri Lankan tourism board also asked me to be its cultural ambassador.

"In that role, I will be touring India promoting Sri Lanka in a positive way.

"It is something I truly believe in, especially after a year's reign as Miss Sri Lanka."

Last week Jackie crowned the new Miss Sri Lanka, Aruni Rajapakse, in a ceremony held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

"I really think Aruni was a great choice. She is a really lovely woman, very poised and dignified," she said.

But handing over her crown came with mixed emotions.

"I was happy and excited for Aruni and I knew I was starting another chapter in my life. But at the same time my reign was such an amazing experience that I couldn't help but think, 'Can I extend it a bit longer?'," said Jackie.

"After the Miss Universe pageant, I went back to Sri Lanka in September last year and fulfilled duties that concentrated a lot on society and creating more awareness.

"I worked with children's charities, as well as helped increase awareness on animal rights."

But before returning to Sri Lanka, Jackie was honoured with a major award in Los Angeles in August last year.

The Friends of the South Asian American Communities presented her with the Kalpana Chawla Award as the Outstanding Woman of the Year. While in the US, several newspapers featured Jackie and described her as "worldly", having been born in Bahrain, educated in Australia and worked as a television anchor in Sri Lanka.

The future holds many great possibilities for Jackie.

"I'm in a great place right now," she said.

"India is booming and it is a great platform to launch a career.

"For me, it was so much easier going to India and use it as a launching pad and maybe, who knows, go into Hollywood later?"

Jackie is one of three children of long-time Bahrain residents Elroy and Kim Fernandez.

Mr Fernandez owns Elroy Events Management and Mrs Fernandez is a senior advertising sales executive at Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group.

Jackie took part in several major fashion shows in Bahrain, including the Jewellery Arabia and Visual Image shows, before moving to Sri Lanka three years ago.

She also won several local beauty pageants and her face has graced many a billboard.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story...&IssueID=30028

[Intoxication]

I do like this thread

[saraprobe]

[phil.froelich]

Some nice clothes there...

[sjinadasa]

Hotness.. We need some more photos of girl... i mean fashion shows

[saraprobe]

Originally Posted by sjinadasa

Hotness.. We need some more photos of girl... i mean fashion shows

Yep, but they aren't publishing on regular basis!

[saraprobe]

July 10, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's DSI Samson footwear manufacturer is in talks with Reebok on making the brand's shoes locally, an official said.

The Reebok brand is catching the consumer base in Sri Lanka and is moving among the people.

DSI is already Reebok's sole partner in Sri Lanka and says they plan to move a step further into producing Reebok branded goods locally.

“Three weeks back we held discussions with the Reebok officials in New Delhi, India and it has been very successful,” says Deputy General Manager-Marketing of DSI Samsons group Kaushalya Perera.

Samples from the local factories will be sent to the Reebok labs in a month’s time and after receiving approval, the local company can start off their production.

“We have three factories and we will be sending samples from all three. The best one will start producing,” Perera says.

The factories will also be inspected before getting the green light from the global giant.

“They are very keen to produce Reebok items locally due to the better reach it can bring to their products,” says Perera.

The imported branded footwear is sold at a price above 8000 rupees which can be brought down to 5000 if local manufacturing is approved.

“We have to make our pricing very competitive if we are going to produce it locally and that will also bring a better consumer base,” Perera said.

He was speaking after Reebok opened their fifth and largest store in Sri Lanka at Dharmapala Mawatha Colombo 7 recently.

DSI says with local production more showrooms can have Reebok products with better competitive pricing.

At the moment DSI has 160 showrooms in the country and out of them only 25 have Reebok products.

All Reebok apparel products and 60 to 70 percent of the footwear products are imported from India while the other 30 to 40 percent come from other countries.

DSI believes that they are capable of producing quality products on par with India.

“We might not be able to produce the products that need the highest technology but whatever India is doing we can do,” Perera says.

“We can even send some styles of footwear to India.”

Reebok said that the belief that consumers in developing countries are not interested in brands is not true.

“I totally disagree with the fact that Third World countries are less interested in brands,” says Managing Director of Reebok India Subhinder Singh Prem.

“We launched the new Paris trainer - a 200 US dollar shoe - just a week after we launched it in the Paris marathon.”
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/f...SEARCH_TERM=17

[saraprobe]

http://www.themodelnetwork.com

[saraprobe]

Accessory shopping enters a new dimension, as ODEL invites customers to experience the glamour and excitement of getting dressed up backstage before stepping out into the limelight.

The department store's latest concept, 'Backstage', as the name indicates is designed to give the feel of a dressing room in a theater, enabling the shopper to dress up and be a star.

This innovative retail space provides women with what they truly need, so they can accessorize the simplest of outfits and stand out. This innovative and exciting concept will later be launched at many other locations around Colombo. There are also plans to eventually take this brand to international locations.

Complete with bright pink trimmings, lip shaped dressing table chairs glamorous posters, multiple mirrors and the dazzling accessories, 'Backstage' portrays a fresh, creative and energizing experience. A shopper can choose from a vast selection of stylish and trendy earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, belts bags and hair accessories. Most importantly, everything is available at very affordable prices.

Commenting at the launch, Ms Otara Gunawardena, Chief Executive Officer for ODEL, said that she believed that this unique idea was sure to be a tremendous success with their customer base.

Otara added, "There aren't many places that are able to offer customers such an immense variety of trendy accessories at very affordable prices."

'Backstage' is just one of the latest in a lineup of exciting and interesting concepts, introduced by ODEL. Earlier this year, the lifestyle store heralded in a new era for sari shopping with the opening of the ODEL Sari Bar.

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/fa...?News_id=37484

[saraprobe]

Renowned hairstylist, designer and choreographer, Lou Ching Wong and acclaimed silver screen star, Sangeetha Weeraratne have combined their professional skills to bring forth a concept offering an opportunity for men and women to enhance and improve their sense of fashion and develop their personalities.The Model Shop, which is a personality building school for men and women, was launched on July 25, 2007 at the Galadari Hotel amidst host of distinguished guests.

The Model Shop is a school is geared for individuals who want to build up their own personality, to gain self-confidence and to build their own image. This applies to everyone � whether they are corporate executives, aspiring models or an average person, giving them the opportunity to educate themselves and learn the finer points of grooming, hair care, body care and modeling techniques. A school of this nature will give Sri Lanka�s fashion industry a boost as well as giving those individuals an opportunity to bring out the best in themselves, and become a new you.

The course consists of two segments with the first syllabus focusing on personality development with subjects such as body care with toning and exercise, diet, skin care, personal hygiene, nail care, fashion sense, accessories, make up, hairstyling techniques, etiquette among others. The focus is on the importance of taking care of ones� self on a day-to-day basis. The second course will be an extension from course one with additional subjects such as photographic modeling, animation as well as catwalk modeling with poise, projection and attitude. The lectures will be conducted in both Sinhala and English.

The school also has plans of running a model bank offering the world of advertising and glamour as well as a choice of well-groomed and trained models that will be absorbed from the school. This offers models the opportunity to function through the school, maintaining updated portfolios as well as offering a very professional service.

�The fashion industry is always on the lookout for new faces and talent so we hope to be able to meet this demand. We have not restricted the age group, as we want to give all our prospective students the opportunity to learn and develop themselves. There isn�t a school of this nature in Sri Lanka and having such a school will help promote better standards in the fashion industry. I hope that the students who enroll into this programme will graduate with flying colours as well as show enough talent and acumen to get ahead in this field and be absorbed into the fashion industry,� Wong said.

Adding to this, Weeraratne said, �There are a lot of young boys and girls who are fashion conscious, who like to enter the world of glamour, beauty and fashion. This school will create a platform for those who dream of entering the world of fashion, beauty and glamour, whether it be the catwalk or photography. The world of fashion, beauty and hair care has had a great impact on our country in the recent past, with men and women from all walks of life becoming more fashion conscious. It provides formal training for those who are have already entered the industry without having had the opportunity to do so.�
http://www.virakesari.lk/business/index.htm

[phil.froelich]

Nice project, do you think there are many models or people who want to become models in SL...