Sri Lanka is known for its handmade woven looms and batik designs. The usual garment of sarees for women and sarongs for men are a great example of fine artistic manufacturing. Contemporary fashion designers use these classic techniques and create their own visions. With some Western influences mixed in, Sri Lanka’s contemporary fashion is reaching new heights. Here are eight things you should know about contemporary fashion in Sri Lanka.

Colour

Colour has never been absent from Sri Lankan fashion or textile design. Colour is certainly a common denominator when it comes to Sri Lankans, in clothing and in attitude. In all the aspects of Sri Lankan design that we will mention in this article, colour has something to do with it. From all the contemporary designers and collections, with whom we find the most colour and the most playful use of it, the M FACT collection at Barefoot Ceylon uses it best.

Sarees

Sarees are the usual attire for women in Sri Lanka. Some wear a saree on a daily basis, out of choice, or because their work uniform calls for a saree. School teachers and office women wear sarees, as well as tea pluckers when it is their custom. Contemporary designers have taken the saree and redesigned it using new kinds of fabrics, like tie-dye or modern linen.

Contemporary designer, Nythia, designs unique sarees with fun batik designs, while ICO Sri Lanka designs urban sarees with handwoven cotton fabrics. Every woman in Sri Lanka gets herself a new saree for special occasions, like Christmas. Sri Lankan women have everyday and special occasion sarees, just like westerners do with dresses.