Life style
Rock it with FROK !
by Rochelle Palipane Gunaratne
FROK, the brainchild of the innovative fashionista and trend setter, Natalie Jayasuriya blazed into the online shopping platform with a desire to provide locally designed haute couture for the young and trendy fashion conscious youth. Its marketing has been designed to target a young demographic of 16 upwards, however the products available on the site are for the Perpetually Youthful, whether it be Female or Male, those who are fiercely spirited and live in a realty where filters are key. As online purchasing dynamics have reportedly proven, an influential image or persona fuels and secures consumer decisions.
The platform offers a mix of FROKE Signature designs and select collections from local designers who will showcase their interpretation of the authentic FROK Feel.
“Guilty as charged,’ admitted the enthusiastic entrepreneur who admitted to shopping overseas for her ultra- chic clothing, adding that she has perennially faced a brick wall when hunting for that, “little black dress,” or clothes that accentuate and enhance the unique individuality of a person. Thus the lockdown paved the way for some research among the retro teens and young adults who expressed their views, adding that online shopping has grown stealthily due to a dearth in clothing stores that cater to their taste. Thus the wheels were set in motion and together with Mario Gooneratne, Natalie established FROK, a Contemporary Fashion Forward Online platform with a pragmatic and conscious brand ethos.
Forming bonds through FROK
The backbone of FROK is a scalable e-commerce platform that captures vast amounts of data points from the shoppers so that we can use machine learning to bring out hyper-personalized experiences to our valued clients” says Natalie Jayasuriya “expect to make use of valuable data that we capture so that we can offer a great shopping experience.” We possess the ideal recipe for morphing fast fashion into high fashion, without altering the price point.
FROK is completely customer centric. “The customer will actually be able to reach out and speak to a member of the FROK Family, who will assist them as we believe it is essential to retain close bonds with our customers. The HUMAN Element is our strongest USP”.
Trendy fashions at your fingertips
All the user journeys of the FROK platform are mobile optimized. “We’re catering to the mobile savvy customers who demand best in class experiences while on the go. Each page is designed carefully by taking new age design concepts that are optimized for all form factors of mobile phones. A mobile app which is native to Apple and Android will be launched within this year”.
Founders of FROK
Mario Gooneratne, Director of FROK is also the founder and CEO of LinearSix (PVT) Ltd, a boutique technology and consulting company with a strong focus in helping banks, finance and insurance companies be better by implementing cutting edge software solutions to digitally transform them.
The independent business woman, Natalie has earned due respect and awe for her successful repertoire in PR and Marketing. She has always had an interest in entertainment and F&B ventures which lead her to be at the forefront of the conceptualization and development of immensely popular nightclubs, bars and restaurants in Sri Lanka over the last decade. 
The wonder woman, has carved her own path from get go, thanks to the strong work ethics and values wish were inculcated by her parents since her formative years. Since childhood she found herself being immersed in an effervescent culture in which growth was closely associated with the freedom to explore new possibilities. This creative streak coupled with an intense passion to bring Sri Lankan creations which appeal to the specified age group into the mainstream, making it easily accessible resulted in the founding of FROK!
IN A FROKSHELL:
• To be the Sri Lankan hybrid of ASOS or SHEIN for Sri Lanka
• Support and market home grown vendors and adapt to Global trends to fit within OUR cultural context
• Help young Fashion Designers do what they love, and design and we will take care of the rest.
• To Provide Trendy, fast fashion products on an efficient and easy to use platform, essentially, making aspirational wear affordable and attainable, locally, regionally and eventually globally.
• Aim to keep revenue within our aisle instead of channelling it overseas
• To start by regulating sizing for Sri Lankan products
• FROK will be positioned as a forerunner for fashion forecasting, utilizing a relatable online platform.
Pix by Dharmasena 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
…….
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. .
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
