Life style
Linen talks for Saumya
Saumya Thirimadura, the multi faceted entrepreneur for linen clothing has created a niche in the competitive field of business. Her eclective designs are inspired by her own experience and emulate her love for all things fashion. Today she she is known for her innovative and diverse fashion designs and colours
by Zanita Careem
Saumya Thirimadura – is the brain behind two fashionable brands namely Guru and Upekha. These two brands of fashionable clothing for men and women are made out of linen This material is comfortable, chic and sophisticated, and suits our weather. I was first introduced to the brand after sporting one of her dresses at the CAN market at the Colombo City Centre held by the small entrepreneurs.
What does Guru and Upekha stand for?
These are two brands are made out of linen. Guru encompasses men’s line, linen shirts, T shirts,trussers and underwear clothing and whilst Upekha stands for ladies dresses and pants.
When did you first know you would wanted to be an entrepreneur and whats the point that really made you go for it?
I have always known I wanted to do something of my own. From my young days I was dabbling in fashion making clothes for my friends and relatives. There is no force more powerful that a woman who is determined to rise. Glass ceilings, patriarchy, gender pay gap, sexiest workplace policies and male privileged. Many challenges dot a woman’s path to success but many of them like me have taken the the challenge.
When were you interested in starting a business?
I was always wanted to dabble in patterns, materials and fashion. From my school days I was interested i making clothes for friends and relatives. Glass ceilings, patriarchy, gender pay gap,sexiest workplace policies and male privileges. Many challenges dot a woman’s path to success but many have taken the mantle of to power and succeeded against all odds. Anything is possible with hard work, passion and persistence.
How difficult is it for a woman to start a business?
It is a long struggle. Somehow our society still at large believes that a married girl should stay at home, take care of the family. This circle will continue if she does not stand for herself and her vision for life. This environment certainly set the groundwork for wanting me to be an an entrepreneur and having the confidence to take a risk and do it. For years I was waiting for the right ideas to strike me that I would have enough passion to pursue, through good and bad.
What is the inspiration behind Guru and Upekha?
The collection was inspired by the people around me.
The women whom I met were poised, confident and had a strong sense of style. I always believed less is more and quality over quantity
I wanted to create something that reflects those values in my contemporary styles. Something that we could all wear, appreciate and stand the test of time
What’s the best and the hardest part about having your own clothing line?
The best part about having my own clothing line is working for myself. The hardest part about having my own clothing line is working for myself. I am my own boss, design my collection and develop the brand to my liking. I have two sisters who helps me to run my business. They are my confidants and I consult them whenever it is necessary.
I’m sure every day is different but is there one thing you do that helps you maintain a routine?
I get up early and plan my day. I create my own designs when I go to steep. The colour structure the designs of the outfits are all created on my mind. I take inspiration from my life experience, places I have visited, people I have met along the way.
What I started small became an obsession and turned into a big venture. Soon I realised I was creating fashionable clothing with a combination of design, quality and aesthetic that couldn’t be found anywhere else. I never dreamed I would have my own clothing line and my business venture will be successful. Now I had just about everything in place to do so. So I took a big leap, and here I am.
What are your biggest challenges?
The biggest challenges are funding, and time management. Expressing my creativity through my designs, working with my hands to create beautiful garments and engaging with my amazing, thoughtful customers are so fulfilling. I am happy to get to spend my time in a way that is fulfilling to me personally while also doing my part to make the world of fashion more ethical and transparent
What have been your key learnings.
The best advice is never give up
no matter the situation.
What are you plans for growth
I wanted the label to sell all over the world. It should be a fashionable brand, customers are all excited about.
Q: What is something about having a life as an entrepreneur that most people wouldn’t expect?
Being a designer and an entrepreneur is not that glamorous and it involves hard work. I think a lot of people have the notion that being a designer is all fun and smooth
But there’s also marketing accounting, product development the list is endless. It’s never just one thing and it’s a constant juggling act.
What is your final motto?
For me failure is not actually a failure but an opportunity to grow
.Email saumyakumar252@gmail.com
Pix by Darmasena Welipitiya
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.
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
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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. .
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