Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year Contest 2008 :

Talent and finesse, his forte

The winner takes it all!

Five of six awards go to Ashok Duminda

By Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

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The eminent panel of judges

‘Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun. Genius is initiative on fire’ and so it was at the fourth consecutive Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year Contest 2008 at the BMICH last Saturday. A night filled with flamboyance and grandeur saw the fifteen finalists of the grand finale; gifted young girls and boys give ‘meaning to creativity’ establishing that ‘ability is after all nothing without opportunity and success is where preparation and opportunity meet.’

For the initiative taken by The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd (ANCL) and the Sunday Observer to harness a niche for young talent with the local apparel industry and facilitate enrichment of a career in fashion designing locally and internationally; this ostentatious event will always be remembered, as yet another page will be added to the annals of ANCL.

An opportune moment in the lives for these enthusiastic finalists, prolific and driven by change, the grand finale was classy, of a very high standard in comparison to the past three years for almost all fifteen finalist were qualified designers or talented youth pursuing a course in fashion designing. Incredibly elegant and absolutely unique, some of the ritzy designer outfits were even in keeping with the 2009 colour palate and global trends.

The fifteen lucky finalists who vied for the designer awards were Chamara Liyadipitiya, Kanchana Dimuthu Ariyasinghe, Kesara de Silva, Ruwanthi Dulmini, Ashok Duminda, Stephen Ramesh, Avi Medonna, Layani Perera, Charith Saminda, Prageeth Marius Jayatilleke, Ruwani Lokuge, Diloki Makalanda, Sachini Nimesha and Niranjaya Ratnayake and Shehan Indika Fernando while the eminent panel of judges comprised. Justice Rohini Perera, Kiran Atapattu Madam Nelum Gunathilaka, Editor Sunday Observer Dinesh Weerawansa, Thilanga Sumathipala, Shanthi Fernando,Lakshmi Jayasinghe.

Presented in four segments of Office wear, casual wear, evening wear and saree wear by Chula Nanayakara Ariyaratne eminent fashion designer and one time model herself who endeavoured to put this contest together for the fourth consecutive year with ANCL saw fine blends of apparel on display. The exclusive outfits added a riot of colour to the ramp while eminent models did the honours for many of the finalists while a few chose to do it ‘their way.’ But which would be more fitting or commendable would of course be a matter of choice and suitability. But as quoted by fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent ‘A good model can advance fashion by ten years’ may be food for thought, for it may have been the order of the day at the grand finale too.

But hope is often a waking dream and who could really tell? And after all, nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm as it was for the exceptionally talented youth from Maharagama Ashok Duminda that night.

‘Creating was the essence of his life. He simply wanted to be himself, be different and be unique.

Astounded by his overwhelming victory, winning five of the six titles: The Sunday Observer Most Popular Designer of the Year, the Sunday Observer Designer of the Year Contest 2008 overall and three of the four segments, office wear, evening and saree wear; Ashok Duminda took it all! By his unparalleled achievement he created a precedent. For the first time in this contest one and the same person, and a boy who had won the most number of awards.

Ashok Duminda’s cliche also proved to the nation that an individuals milieu and circumstances were certainly not impediments to achieving ultimate success for ‘every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart;’ for the gifted youth was only a small time customary gents tailor at Boralegamuwa town. His enthusiasm was so great that young Ashok Duminda’s used to leave his business in the hands of his assistant during day while he attended fashion designing classes at Borelesgamuwa which was in close proximity to his residence and works at his tailoring shop till late evening.

His meticulous sharp-tailoring talent and strong and discreet choice of colour and fabric which he tastefully put together as one piece saw his dream come true. The first runner up overall, Shehan Indika Fernando of Ratmalana, also studying fashion designing at the same fashion designing institute as Ashok Duminda was also adjuged winner of the casual wear segment while Ruwani Lokuge, a fashion designer by profession was adjudged second runner up overall of the Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Contest 2008.

Three other awards were also presented to the youngest participant of the contest seven year old Seya Uralagamage of Sacred Heart Convent, Galle who surprised the panel of judges with her talent when asked to sketch at the semi finals, to the Best Dressed Lady Mrs. Minoli Fernando presented by Mr. Sanath Ranaweera, Chairman Saree Mandir (Pvt) Ltd and to the funkiest teenager, Ms Shereen Jayamanna presented by Mr.Waruna Mallawarachchi, Manager Corporate Relations, ANCL.

Adding glamour to the nights line up of events were elegant dance sequences by the Channa Wijewardena dancers, a dance performance by Twinkle Goonetilleke and her friend and the Air Force Dance troupe to scintillating music and golden oldies sung by vocalist and compere Clifford Richard. The creative hand of hair and beauty specialist, Ramzi Rahaman, the official hair and make up artist who has always been the hand behind the scenes making the beautiful more beautiful also added finesse to the pulsating evening’s entertainment.

The glamour filled event was sponsored by Dialog GSM, our gold sponsor while M/S Aitken Spence coordinated the evening’s line up of entertainment.