It’s nice to see more people understanding and appreciating the noble concept of upcycling today. It’s even better to see people loving and wearing ethical clothing, accessories, shoes and using bags and home décor which look sophisticated and classy, and are easy on the environment, hence my headline.
Lonali Rodrigo’s products are designed for someone who not only cares about the environment but also wants to send a message to the world with what they wear. Her story is inspiring because it recounts determination and hard work from a teenager who wasn’t afraid to take risks, refused to give into challenges and was unfazed by convention. Today, she’s built up a sought-after brand and she can smile, knowing that she has done and continues to do everything in her power to take upcycling to even greater heights.
“When I was younger, I initially wanted to be a vet (mainly for the love of animals), or an architect, however I ended up dropping both ideas. I always knew I was creative, so after my A/Levels I had to make the big decision of whether I was going to use that creativity for a career, or just a hobby. That’s when I chose Fashion Designing. I discovered that having qualifications in Fashion Design went a long way towards building a strong foundation in the industry today, so I started my degree at the Academy of Design,” she reminisced. “It’s sad to see that designing has become an option for those who think they have no other career options. It shouldn’t be a backup for someone who can’t enter Medical College! Fashion Designing is not about sewing a dress and show casing it on the ramp. There is so much more to it and what you need is the interest, the passion and the determination to succeed,” she stated.
Lonali’s self-named brand, House of Lonali, had been ready since her second year at college. “I got an opportunity to showcase at a trade show in London called Esthetica and I had to submit a collection as an existing fashion brand/business from Sri Lanka. I was competing against professionals who I admired and I consider that in itself was a significant achievement for me personally. I really enjoyed building my brand and going through the process of starting up a business and was lucky enough to be mentored by a few specialists from the UK who are world-renowned ethical designers and Ajay Amalean from MAS and last but not least, my professors at AOD,” she said.
Lonali’s work has had a tremendous amount of exposure in the fashion industry. Her collections have appeared at the Sri Lanka Design Festival (for which she won the Ethical Fashion Award in 2010), Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and numerous other fashion ramps. In 2013, she also won the Sustainable Designer and the Emerging Designer Awards at the Sri Lanka Apparel and Fashion Awards. Lonali plans to showcase more of her creations locally and internationally in the future. “It’s about communicating your story and who you are as a character and your design philosophy. I’ve showcased House of Lonali as the first upcycle brand for fashion and accessories in Sri Lanka and I’m proud of how many people value the concept of upcycling today,” said Lonali.
As part of her internship, Lonali undertook a project in Gampaha with the cottage industry weavers and recounts this as one of the best decisions of her career. “I learned a lot about myself as person and from there, I started working with other communities in Jaffna and in the South. I worked with people who make batik, beeralu, hemp and palmyrah craft and coconut shell products. I realised I was good at merging my creativity with what they know and turning out products that were not only creative but would be good for their respective livelihoods as well. They are very simple people; after staying in their homes and seeing how they lead their lives, well the experience was just so humbling. I would count these moments with them as some of the best in my life and my career,” she said with a smile.
Lonali also added that she really values being a part of The Design Collective. “We’re all together for the same purpose and that brings us closer. It’s great to be selling alongside so many other good brands…the other designers are really fun and it’s lovely to work with them all. We all think alike and that encourages amazing teamwork,” she noted. Lonali has also started retailing in UK and Sweden recently.
“We still have a long way to go to eliminate fashion pollution. We need to see more people pursuing ethical fashion trends to really make an impact on the environment. In terms of the apparel industry, we are way ahead, but in terms of fashion, we’re doing well, but we still need to shift to a higher gear,” she concluded.
House of Lonali’s products are available at The Design Collective, 28 Stratford Ave, Colombo 06.
By Michelle Alles