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| Sunday, 23 November 2003 |
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New designers : The scent of Cinnamon by Neomi Kodikara
The aromatic qualities of cinnamon results in a volatile oil, oil of cinnamon that may be extracted from the bark. Cinnamon was the holy grail of the foreign invaders. It contributed to create the verdant tropical locations, the fragrance and the culture throughout ancient Ceylon. This affinity between Sri Lanka and Cinnamon is so strong and runs back to ancient times. Cinnamon's sweet scent has influenced and inspired Pearly de Silva to create 'Tropical fragrance,' even in clothing.
After working for 15 years in Sri Lankan Airlines, she left in 1999 and opened up 'Style House,' a dress boutique. "I want to introduce my own designs, when I was at home I saw an advertisement in the newspapers about the courses provided by LIFT and decided to apply. At the beginning I thought it was only drawing, but it demands hard work, in a range of subjects like textile selecting, cutting, sewing, weaving, mixing colours, both in practicals and theory,' she says. Pearly caters to women's wear middle age and overweight figures. "They are the forgotten lot. Since they don't have fashions specially designed for them they wear what's designed for youth, sometimes results are dreadful. All my friends insist that I should start designing immediately," she says. Since childhood, she says she had the knack of designing. "You need to have a good eye, and awareness of what is happening in the world of fashion." Does she regret entering the field of designing late? "No it's never too late to learn something, my experiences come in handy for me to do it well now," she replies.
Her preference goes to designing smart, casual and evening wear. All the dresses are in layers to get the wrapping, layer effect of cinnamon. Jewels, necklaces, bangles and earrings too are made of cinnamon. She has produced simple styles in natural earth-tone fabrics, commonly yellowish brown, the colour of Cinnamon. Pearly has made use of floral patterns, with an ethnic touch. Cinnamon flowers and a cross section of the bark are embroidered in two shades. "I did not overlook their possibility of being adapted for day-to-day wear." She feels that cinnamon colour suits Sri Lanka complexion well. "The other countries are well ahead of us, and garment design has come of age in Sri Lanka, only now", she says. She believes that Sri Lanka should look for innovative ways of competing with other garment manufacturing countries from now on, as the quota system based on the multi-fibre agreement is doomed to be phased out in 2005. "Creating our own brands and popularising them among our main buyers is one way of facing this challenge." |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Cinnamomum zeylanicum, the
tastiest and the best-known species of Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka.
Due to its distinctive fragrant aroma and a sweetish, pungent taste, it
has been used since early times as a spice in many culinary preparations,
and in some medicines.
'Tropical
Fragrance', won an award for being the most relevant to the
theme at the Lanka Institute of Fashion Technology (LIFT) Fashion Awards
2003. "My hard work was fruitful," she says with her eyes
twinkling in delight. Cheerful, vivacious and dynamic Pearly talks gently
about her hard work and of course that night, the most important night of
her life, when she was awarded.
She went through books on Sri Lanka, browsed the Internet and even
visited Cinnamon growers in Ambalangoda before designing her clothes.
