By: Michelle Alles
There are some people you totally hit it off at the start with and the gorgeous Chanika Jayathilake is definitely one of them, as I discovered after 3 hours of hanging out at Uga! She’s sassy, has got style and class by the truckload and when you combine this with intelligence and business acumen, you come up with Raaya Clothing & Accessories, a new store that will definitely be the focal point for all ethnic fashion and glamour in Colombo.
Combining a Childhood Interest with an Adult Ambition
Having completed a degree in Business and Marketing Management in the UK, Chanika returned to Sri Lanka and worked with a leading conglomerate specialising in the apparel marketing sector. Since childhood, she has always been a big fan of Bollywood movies and decided to incorporate this along with her love for fashion into a business. “My knowledge of the Hindi language from all the movies I watched over the years actually comes in very useful when I travel to India to do all my buying since I handpick everything I bring for the store. I’ve always admired how feminine the clothes are and I know we have a lot of stores here that sell Indian clothing, but my differentiation is that I want it to be tasteful; I want every girl having that longing to wear them and feeling confident and classy in Raaya designs. The clothing incorporates fun prints and high street western wear, so the Raaya designs are a mix of anything from chic and stylish to classy and elegant, maintaining their traditional elements, yet also very contemporary.” Chanika revealed.
A Fitting Title
“Because of my strong interest for fashion, I watch all sorts of runway shows online such as the Lakmé Fashion Week and the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week and I am entranced by the intricacy and feminine-like grace of the garments. So I want to incorporate this into my career, because you need to love what you do and do what you love!” she exclaimed. “The name ‘Raaya’ is actually a Sanskrit name for royalty. I want every girl to feel like a princess and look regal, so I thought the name would be appropriate; since its Sanskrit and the clothing is Indian, it all fits together perfectly.”
An Interesting Combination of Brains and Beauty
“My day begins early with a focused start on my work; I do a lot of research expanding my knowledge on the topic and see what I can incorporate to my label, plus excessive site visits. In my spare time, I watch a lot of TV shows such as Quantico, Made in Chelsea and Tyrant, etc. I read, hang out with my friends and also bake dishes! My role model would definitely be my mother; I know it’s a very cliché, but it’s because we have been through a lot together and she has always been there for me. Even though there’s a vast generation gap, she has been able to adapt to the crazy things I do and support me endlessly in all avenues in life!” she said.
Wanting our readers to have a little insight into Chanika’s fascinating personality, I mischievously put her on the spot with a few unexpected questions, but she answered with aplomb!
After Chanika Won An Outstanding Award For Raaya, She Would Tell Her Competitors…
“It is because of you that I was more driven and motivated and this gave me an opportunity to shine brighter. Thank you and I hope you work harder, because it gives me the incentive to work with even more dedication!”
If Chanika could ever wake up in the body of another person, she would pick…and she would do…
“Anna Wintour. She is a fashion industry power figure with so much savoir-faire and is regarded as one of the most influential persons setting trends, and anointing new designers. As to what I would do, I’d expand my brand to an international scale using that publicity!”
I like Chanika and so will all you fashionistas out there in the seasons to come!
Advice to Upcoming Entrepreneurs
“Life is a challenge and do not procrastinate; the biggest strategy that will inevitably fail is that if you don’t take a risk. Face the challenge, be motivated throughout and thrive on your passion. As I always say, do what you love and love what you do! Sometimes I wish I had started Raaya earlier, because time just flies and to get to a certain point, you have to work really hard, but the earlier you start, the faster you can learn from your mistakes and rise above them.” she stated.
Upcoming Plans for Raaya
“I want to eventually have a very happy and over content clientele, expand in the country in the next year or so and expand outside the country in the next 5-10 years, maybe in Singapore and Dubai. Raaya is all about having my clients feeling amazing in ethnic clothing and being able to be confident, self-assured and express themselves better because of it.” Chanika concluded.