Category: Fashion & Beauty

Designing Clothing As Lively As Her Personality

By: Michelle Alles

Charlene Thuring is the kind of person you’d want to sit back and have coffee and an interesting conversation with. Her remarkable designing talent is taking her label, c.h.a.r.l.e.n.e. to the next level of fashion and since we are not able to resist someone with such a remarkable disposition, we ‘dragged’ her away from her busy schedule for a chat…

 

Charlene, tell us about yourself and how you got into designing?

I’m the youngest of in a family of 5 and an absolute tomboy. I planned my career path towards architecture, but ended up leaving school to join AOD where i fell in love with fashion which resulted in my label c.h.a.r.l.e.n.e.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? 

My greatest strength is asking the question ‘why’ until the question itself runs out of reasons. This has been the main reason for my growing knowledge which as a result has helped me be a better designer/person today.

I used to have a horrible weakness of wanting to do everything that I come across and sometimes messed up royally by not achieving each thing I do to its best, but now I’ve learned to pick and choose!

What would you say is the biggest challenge in the industry?

Sadly, there are quite a few! As a small operation, trying to be successful in a rather small country whose focus on fashion has grown over the capacity the city can hold and also, getting anything done in a timely manner. But the most frustrating one of the lot I would say is that knowing that Sri Lanka which is one of the most popular countries in the world that provide the top quality products for major successful brands, can’t seem to support its local brands with the same quality of work by the smaller manufacturers.

How do you stay fit?

I’m mostly lazy! I have identified for myself that I can’t get motivated to stay fit by myself. I have to have a workout partner or team to stay in the groove or else I take the easy option and watch my food and stay lazy. But when I do get out, my workouts are done by 7 am and I have a blissfully uninterrupted day that follows!

Who are your top three female heroines?

It’s difficult to cut it down to three but here goes:

  • Natalia Vodianova & Diane Von Furstenberg – For making me believe that dreams really do come true and all it takes is passion and focus
  • Grace Jones – For a figure I aspire to have
  • My Mom and my good friend Sayumi – For teaching me to care unconditionally

What is the most annoying question that you have been asked?

It’s actually more of an assumption than a question. When people say “Ah but you work from home, no wonder you have time to do… and so on!”

Describe the wallpaper on your desktop?

Oh my goodness! It’s so boring and now this question makes me want to change it! It’s a picture of my Tyson (my dog) lying upside down on our sofa with his legs sticking out into the air!

If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do? 

Hmm…you’ve left me thinking of bucket list items. But nothing would satisfy me more than having Sarinda, my family and Tyson of course spending that 24 hours in a jungle somewhere…anywhere in the world, where we could watch the sun rise, enjoy the surroundings, watch the sun set and sit out in the open under the stars with a drink in hand and having ridiculous conversations as time goes by.

Let’s say you are given the opportunity to star as the leading lady in a romantic movie. Who would you choose as your co-star and why?

You are probably thinking I’ll say it’s someone like Daniel Craig or Leonardo DiCaprio, but I think I would choose between Anthony Hopkins or Sean Connery! Weird i know…WHY? Because it’s not often that you would get an opportunity to act as a lead in a movie and it would be a crime to not choose legends!

If you could go back in time, where and what period would you go to?

Not too far actually, I would LOVE to experience the 80’s and early 90’s at the age that I am now. And I’d probably be in England and experience the whole transition of punk and rock.

If you were given an opportunity to fulfil three wishes, what would you wish for?

  • My biggest wish would be that human life took a more peaceful route in living
  • And I don’t mean to offend people who believe in God, but I really wish there wasn’t a God for people to believe in and have so much expectation from this unseen element. Instead, if they took action into their own hands and did the right thing required to live in this world, it would be a much better place
  • My third wish would be that all the children who are born into this world are all healthy, wanted and loved.

Do you have a good luck charm?

Haha it’s weird! It’s actually not materialistic; it’s an action. Every time I have something exciting coming along and I share it with anyone other than my mom, it has never ended up happening. So as a rule I now don’t say anything until it’s actually in my hands!

What are you currently involved in and what are your plans for the future?

I am currently moving out into retailing my brand, which has been an exciting new step. As for my future plans, I’d love to start a sub line of something other than clothing. And let’s leave it at that!

Raaya Clothing & Accessories: The Tasteful and Classy Side of Fashion

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.

Tiesh: A Labor Of Love

 

Kandy is known for a lot of things, and chief among those things happens to be — gems. The tourist market is certainly prospering today, and with Tiesh having been a true gem in the jewelry business, seeks to be an inimitable provider of all things glittery for tourists. I met Ayesh De Fonseka (Director) at the new Tiesh showroom dedicated to the local clientele on R A De Mel Mawatha, which has been in operation only for a year.Having being a banker in Australia, Ayesh highlighted how the transition into a businessman has been an evolutionary process (guided all the way through by his father) With the beach being a favorite place to hang out (on vacation or watching his beloved rugby team play on TV ) and a foodie at heart, he firmly believes in the art of crafting your own future just like the inimitable collections of jewelry at Tiesh.

In NOVEMBER, Tiesh launched a range of gems that were set in silver, and it was to showcase the undiluted beauty of Sri Lankan gems; it was aptly called — Black Temptations. What’s curious about Tiesh is that it always manages to create a buzz surrounding a launch of any of its jewelry ranges.

Might it be because that Tiesh is very much a niche endeavor that offers what others don’t, which is a spate of intricate designs that are as rare as they are unique in their value, artistry and presentation? What my eyes were gifted with seeing were as rare as a constellation of stars that dot the northern sky. But beauty is something that can only be aspired through willful sacrifice and persistence: This is the story of Tiesh.

A conjunction (if you will) of Ayesh and his sister Thiyasha (two siblings) resulted in the creation of Tiesh. Although the company was previously known as Lakmini in Kandy, Ayesh’s parents decided to give their children more ownership in the company and carried out an exercise in rebranding. Slowly but surely the effort of handing over the reins to the next generation helped bring Tiesh into the forefront of a very competitive market where modish designs are the norm.

Indeed the company was a labor of love with both their parents (Lasantha and Bryony De Fonseka) putting their heart, mind, and soul into the family business. Just as the creation of the business was something that was born out of love so too is the creation of the sapphire-decorated jewelry that glittered in the glass-armed showcases at their showroom.

The company treats its employees as extended family, and this particular ethos has served them well. Just as familial bonds do keep a company together so too does things like honesty, integrity and transparency.

Transparency — Now that’s something which jewelry establishments have been rather reticent about when it comes to selling their exorbitantly-priced wares. Questions that cast doubt on the purity of gold, and the lines of designs have plagued the local market for years. However, transparency is a characteristic that is firmly embedded in the sale of all things fine at Tiesh.

Ayesh went onto explain how he firmly believes in the aspect of loyalty, and in order to ensure customer retention, offering a quality product plus having a sense of empathy goes a long way. There are a lot of emotions attached to a piece of jewelry. One may buy a necklace for their wedding, but instead of treating it as a one-off decoration, why not use it again?

Such is the design belief that is nurtured at Tiesh where individual pieces of jewelry go through a stringent process of quality checks, and fits into a dual role of being applicable for any event. Ayesh calls is — transformative design, where a blue sapphire ring can be worn in a different way to appear as a pink sapphire ring.

So what does the future hold for this company that crafts jewelry with quality residing at the heart of all its designs? With so many different players in this already-saturated market, it’s important to innovate, and that’s precisely what Tiesh is planning to do. Crafting bespoke designs is no easy task especially when there is competition from across the globe, but it’s loyal customers, and a discerning sense of design that’ll keep Tiesh evolving and growing for many more.

Nail Art Venues That Your Fingertips Will Adore!

 

By: Michelle Alles

Craving good nail art? Your hands are going to love what the rest of this article has for you! Admit it, who can resist quirky nails? And the sky is the limit (literally!) when it comes to the designs on display everywhere we go. But if you’re looking for some nail art inspiration, we read your minds and talked to three of the best salons in town that have totally nailed (No pun intended!) nail art to bring you some of the hottest designs trending lately.

 

 

Chagall Colombo

Nail art whizz Lucky informed us that stencils are still chic, though in a smaller way and the art can even be done at home, because it’s super easy to recreate and perfect for anyone who prefers understated designs. However, the designs drawn by hand using water based colours, glitter and rhinestones still remain popular. “Gel nails are trending and these nail art creations can last for up to three weeks, but I recommend removing the colour after two weeks to prevent damage and promote healthy nails.” he said. “I adore the matte and shiny mix which creates a very simple and classy look for day or evening wear, but for a party-perfect trend, invest in some nail jewels and get creative. The take on the classic French manicure is now many colour combinations such as ultra-glamorous super-long nude nails with hot red tips for a fun but sophisticated air. You can go to town with different colour mixes. For your very own denim nails, you can create this look by using different shades of blues and sponging over white polish!” he enthused. To flaunt some beautiful nails by Lucky, call him on 011-2335555.

 

The NAIL BAR

For a serious case of nail art envy, visit this place. Located in Nawala, the lovely ladies down here love to experiment with different colours and are all about the glamour, fun and adventurous nail looks. They told us that the fastest way to super-chic nails is to opt for a super-glossy metallic nail colour. Their nail art creations can range from anything modern and futuristic to classy and stylish and their statement ombré nails manage to look striking on anyone’s talons! They believe in ‘the longer the nail, the more space to play’ and come up with some of the most fun designs! Call them on 011 7 688988

 

Salon 7th Avenue

Reena’s a big fan of gel nail art and so are her clients! “I always keep an eye out for an inventive bit of nail art which gives a dramatic effect. Nail stickers are making an exit, but nail tones with a matt finish are very much in demand. The bold reds and classy neutrals are still popular and it will be quite a while before they go out of style because of the elegant and sophisticated air these nails provide to any outfit. Ring finger nails are still super-chic and there are endless ideas for inspiration and distressed silver nails are a great take on the metallic trend.” she said. The nail art designs pictured by Reena are free-hand drawings with a brush; kudos to so much talent. She also mentioned a look we haven’t heard much about here yet known as ‘Negative Space’ which doesn’t require a base colour and gives off the illusion of lacquer floating against a naked nail bed. Reena can be contacted on 011-2586322 / 011-2382992.