Life style
Paradigam shift in fashion
‘The joy of dressing is an art said John Galliano’
With the coronavirus pandemic leading to events being post-poned or cancelled, people in the fashion world have been finding ways and means to use technology. The recently concluded fashion shows, forums have pointed out directions that set to become key factors in the future. These include locality, digitlisaton, culture, sustainability, visual art, communication and experiments. In the past year and this year we see a a massive shift within the fashion industry with physical to digital formats taking the lead, Sustainability coming to the fore and visual fashion here to stay
by Zanita Careem
Not since the Second World War has the fashion industry ground to such a sudden halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost overnight retail stores have closed across Europe, North America, and most of Asia, and with these parts of the world being both the primary fashion producing and consuming regions, the industry has been brought to its knees.
Will things slowly get back to normal, or has this pandemic changed the industry forever?
Fashion shows in most of Europe and Asia were cancelled.
The virus started spreading from China right at the start of the fashion season, and it was there we saw the first cancellations with the Beijing and Shanghai fashion weeks.
Europe was hit next with giants of the industry such as Prada, Armani, and Versace all cancelling their shows.
Both the Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week organisers have cancelled the physical events, but they were replaced with a virtual show online.
Other names are forgoing the traditional fashion calendar and doing their own thing, like Saint Laurent launching its collections following a plan in conjunction with up-to-date news and advice.
The massive change to the industry has led some to declare that fashion shows are no longer even necessary.
Jordana Guimarães, founder of Fashinnovation, thinks “with runway shows, you just end up having all these samples that are never worn again. There are other ways to do the collections where you’re not using all this fabric and creating waste.”
On top of that, with so many retailers being forced to close, there are hundreds of tonnes of this season’s clothing just sitting in warehouses, wasting away.
And with the average industry turn-around of production-to-market taking five months, it’s probably going to be late 2021 before anything new even arrives, and that’s assuming nothing else goes wrong.
Online shopping has changed the playing field of shoppers and buyers.
Online shopping has already beginning to overtake retail shopping before the Coronavirus hit, but now the playing field has changed completely.
Many experts are predicting social distancing might last for years, with the psychological impact of the virus never going away.
A good percentage of people will choose to shop from the safety of their home rather than head out to a busy high-street store, so it’s expected online shopping will become the new norm after the pandemic.
Stores with a good eCommerce platform, effective online marketing, and a strong social media presence will be better equipped to deal with the new paradigm shift designers say.
Sustainability and the future
If there’s one good thing to come out of this disaster, it’s that the pandemic might help push the industry into a more sustainable and technologically innovative future.
We’ve already seen the effects of the lockdown on the environment.
There have been many reports of wild animals increasing in numbers and turning up in places they haven’t been seen in a long time.
Air pollution is visibly down and people in India now able to see the Himalayas for the first time in decades.
It is said the amount of damage the industry is doing to the environment, with high concentrations of dyes and chemicals like chromium, arsenic, copper, and zinc being dumped into rivers and lakes on a daily basis.
Some argue all those pollution figures will drop sharply this year thanks to the shutdown, and people will hopefully notice the difference that’s been made to the environment and refuse to go back to previous ways.
Fashion labels will create fewer collections over the coming years, and having seen the risks of depending on China for most of their supplies, many countries will perhaps reinvest in local manufacturing, furnishing new jobs and skills.
Winners and losers
As the world starts to get back to normal over the coming months/years, (it might take time)we will see the brands emerge which were able to ride out the storm and other brands who folded under the pressure.
The bigger, luxury brands will be the first to bounce back, and unfortunately, this means they will also capture even more of the market share.
High-end brands will probably be alright, but might have to change their entire way of doing business if they want to keep going in this new, online world.
Smaller brands, unfortunately, probably won’t survive, and department stores will continue to close their doors and disappear.
For the independent designer, the virus might be a blessing in disguise.
The pandemic has almost reset the clock, putting everyone back in starting position, and if that’s where you were before the virus, then you’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Join in a post-Covid world
It’s estimated by some that at least 20% of the shops which closed due to Covid-19 will never reopen.
Not only has this virus destroyed the economy, it has also had a massive impact on many people who now can’t afford to buy items due to the loss of income during lockdown.
But while there are uncertain times ahead, the future of fashion isn’t all doom and gloom.
With many years of experience we had many disruptions but still we serve our customers said many of the local shop owners like Aslam Hussein of Geebees Designer Boutique. There were many designers and shop owners who echoed that they were positve, this corona virus will definetely be destroyed in the near future.
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
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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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