SUNDAY OBSERVER Fashion Designer of 2010:

Glittering show outshines all

By Thulasi Muttulingam

And so after months of preparation and speculation, the Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year 2010 went on the ramps on Saturday, October 16. All the twenty contestants outshone themselves in their creations. The fashions displayed that evening, certainly did not disappoint. According to Pakistani Fashion Designer Talat Hafeez, one of the judges on the show, the designs she saw were ‘marvellous’ and the evening wear category especially was of an international level. Keeping in mind that this was the first major show for most of the contestants who were mostly untried youths cutting their first teeth on fashion designing, it is a remarkable achievement.

The designs displayed ranged from the intricately designed and elegant to fanciful and outrageous but they were all mind blowing in their sheer creativity and artistry.

The curtain raiser to the much anticipated show was provided by the Channa-Upuli Dance Troupe which set the mood for the evening with its lucid and upbeat moves. The first segment showcased was the Sari segment. The stage seemed transformed into a tropical garden of paradise as beautiful models sashayed out one by one garbed in nine yards of cloth; all in colours of brilliant hues and gorgeously embellished with sequins, appliques or prints by the designers.

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa was the chief guest of the evening and awarded the trophy to the Most Popular Fashion Designer of the Year, Akshari Punchinilame who garnered a staggering 7,835 votes from the Sunday Observer readers to win her title.

Providing entertainment for the evening, apart from the Channa Upuli Dance Troupe were also the

Graham Anderson overall winner of the Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year 2010 with the trophy

Ethnic Dance Troupe and Traditional Dance Troupe, who skillfully provided variation, rhythm and tempo to the evening. A much felt Thank You should also be said to Ramzi Rahaman and his team who raced the clock efficiently before the show and in between segments, to provide the hair and make up for all the models.

First runner-up, Krishan of Galle receiving his award from the Production Manger Singer Sri Lanka K.D.S. Kanishka.	Second runner-up, Raffealla Fernando with her award.

The already lovely models were turned into exotic sirens by not only the various designer wear they modelled but also the famed make up skills of Ramzi and his team.

The judging team consisted of Chairperson Ramani Amarasuriya, Attorney-at-Law and partner of law firm, Amarasuriya Associates, Shanti Outschoorn, Executive Director, Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, Premanie Perera, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus in Sri Lanka, Harpo Gooneratne, Managing Director of Harpo’s Cafes and Restaurants as well as Talat Hafeez, an established fashion designer in Pakistan.

After a long and gruelling period of intense calculations, the results were announced: Second Runner Up: Raffealla Fernando. First Runner Up: Krishan - Galle Winner - Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year: Graham Anderson And so an evening which had been looked forward to for months finally drew to a close. A big thank you to our sponsors Singer Sri Lanka, Ranjan Dedigama of Gems and Jewels (Pvt) Ltd and Khalil Masood, CEO of SKM Lanka Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.

Chairman ANCL, Bandula Padmakumara in conversation with the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapakse.

The Ethnic Dance Troupe led by Chathuri Wickramarchchi.

Pix: Vipula Amarasinghe