Business
CFW announces HSBC Fashion Fund for Emerging Designers
Five high-potential designers to be selected in 2022
With HSBC Colombo Fashion Week 2022 (CFW) scheduled for the end of February 2022, the organization has announced the launch of the HSBC Fashion Fund for Emerging Designers, as part of its Emerging Designer programme. Commencing this year, and going forward, five high-potential emerging designers will be selected and supported by this new initiative. The HSBC Fashion Fund aims to help rejuvenate and spur on creativity and innovation within Sri Lanka’s fashion and design industry, which has faced severe challenges since 2020, with established players struggling and newcomers facing business closures and other hardships.
Announcing the launch, Ajai Vir Singh – Founder and Managing Director of Colombo Fashion Week said, “I am very pleased to announce this new support-focused Fund and really thankful to HSBC for collaborating with us in this regard. Our partnership with HSBC extends over 15 years and they have clearly understood our vision. Today, as a result, we have been able to create this fund to support younger designers. As we move forward, this Fund will be developed further, based on the learnings and feedback we gather along the way. The establishment of the HSBC Fashion Fund for Emerging Designers is a great victory for the industry in Sri Lanka in terms of creating an environment that is conducive to fostering new and emerging talent.”
CFW has worked tirelessly, since its inception in 2003, to uplift, mentor and promote the fashion design industry in Sri Lanka. Continuing to collaborate with its long-standing title partner HSBC, commencing this year, the HSBC Fashion Fund for Emerging Designers will help to support and kick start the fashion journeys of Sri Lanka’s most promising new designers. This year alone, 5 Emerging Designers will be selected through a transparent selection process. These candidates will be supported by the Fund and CFW, both financially and in terms of mentorship and business guidance. The launch of the HSBC Fashion Fund comes at a time when the industry, particularly younger designers, need as much support as possible to mitigate the challenges created by the global pandemic and spur a recovery within the industry.
Commenting on CFW’s Emerging Designer Programme, Vir Singh added, “Our Emerging Designer programme is very personal to me and remains one of our most important initiatives. We embarked on it very early on in our journey as there weren’t many designers when we began in 2003. Thus, developing design talent became a priority and has remained so till now, and it will continue to remain so for the foreseeable future, as Sri Lanka is a growing and emerging market in terms of fashion design. We hope to gain more traction for this initiative in 2022, and move to even bigger things in the future.”
CFW’s Emerging Designer program has been an integral part of Colombo Fashion Week since its inception, having paved the way for many well-known names in the industry today. CFW’s Design Development System has directly impacted close to 80% of fashion designers in Sri Lanka today, with the programme having evolved over the years, based on market feedback, to be as effective as possible. CFW, which is a developmental platform by nature, has also created various programmes to provide a support system for young designers embarking on a career in fashion. The Emerging Designer showcase programme is open to all Fashion Schools, with ever increasing participation. In 2020, this program saw 100 applications and last year, in 2021, over 120 applications were received. Applications and the selection process for the Fund have already commenced and more details are available on CFW’s digital pages.
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
