Life style
“Aluxe” Azeena’s couture collection at Flower Road
Azee collection, the fashion brand of Azeena Sulaiman has made her name as an acclaimed fashion success.Her recently opened fashion boutique ‘Aluxe’ at Flower Road has now emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most exciting place to keep an eye on.Talking about her beginning of her fashion career she says “I always had a penchant for fashion and fashionable clothing from my young days. I was hooked on colours, shapes and fine details on any piece of attire. This has helped me forge a unique signature and recognition in the world of designing
Hailing from a business family from Colombo 7 she was inspired by her father to start something of her own. She started designing on a small scale and soon her designing prowess became a talking point among women both young and old.
“I gained an eye for detail and the importance of organisation from my father that made me reliable and competent which was a good attribute to move forward and to be both personal and work life. My very first dress boutique with the brand name Azee collection managed to make a name for myself in the competitive fashion world.
And since then no looking back, I took this work seriously and today I have gained popularity and the brand name Azee collection became the talking point among fashion icons, socialites, celebrities and many others.
Her niche fashion store Aluxe which was opened recently has very exclusive ensembles keeping in mind the client’s aesthetic appeal and individuality. What sets the Azee collection brand apart from others. I queried
To that she says ‘my haute couture collection perfectly blends innovation in fashion. My designs not only give out an elegant feel, but are contemporary at the same time. I always keep the style quotient right adding my personal touches to the silhouettes, which has brought client satisfaction. Her signature silhouettes lie in highly modern cuts,fine detailing,bold lines and geometric precision which make them classy and elegant
She says with pride ‘I offer a minimalist wardrobe, focused on clean cuts and impeccable details to strong sophisticated women which make them look classy and elegant”.
Not only her fashion line is daring and elegant but also behind each pieces of clothing that the brand owns is a message on the strength and power of women. Timeless, exuding femininity her collection always resonates with style.
What makes her brand so appealing. According to some clients I spoke to, they said . Azeena’s each outfit is truly one of a kind and we are enthralled by her designs
Sporting a long tunic or any outfit from Azee’s collection from far away is not very hard to do so. They also said many of her pieces are not seasonal and can be worn year after year with style and elegance. The brand is absolutely adored by her customers and offers statement pieces that inject elegance.
Some of her evening wear silhouettes have a big celebrity base, as the designer’s aesthetic is a perfect blend of beauty, fashion and extravaganza.
The brand is also popular and trusted because of the quality it provides. Azee collection is an eponymous brand which has introduce some exciting designs to the fashion world and are perfect for the contemporary fashion forward people
“Our tailoring staff make special care of customised tailoring. They take you through every detail and customise the outfit to suit your choice” said Azeena
Talking about those who proved to be the wind beneath her wings she graciously expresses gratitude to her son for being a constant source of support and the staff who are a driving force for all her motivation.
Life style
Camaraderie,reflection and achievements
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
Life style
Bridal shows with opulence and luxury at The Epitome hotel in Kurunegala
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
…….
The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .












