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Back with a new point of inspiration: Dimuthu Sahabandu gives a sneak peek of his newest collection ‘Amira’

24 Apr 2021

Dimuthu Sahabandu is something of an enigma. His eponymous brand is well known for its beautiful evening wear and bespoke creations, but the designer behind it is rarely seen, instead focusing on his craft. Dimuthu Sahabandu is a regular fixture at Colombo Fashion Week (CFW), and in August 2020, his latest offering was the closing collection of CFW. Having taken a break from this year’s event, Dimuthu is now ready to launch his latest collection “Amira”, which will officially become available at the retail store The Design Collective tomorrow (26). Ahead of the launch of Amira, Brunch caught up with Dimuthu for a rare look behind the scenes at Dimuthu and his work. [caption id="attachment_131834" align="alignright" width="263"] "Not everyone can start big. Start small, even with a collection that’s just 10 pieces. If your product is correct and your pricing is correct, you start small and work your way up" Dimuthu Sahabandu[/caption]   The not-so-great origin story When asked how he got into fashion and became the designer he is today, Dimuthu shared that he “really doesn’t have a great background story” before going on to explain that art had always been a part of his life and something he had studied since the age of four, learning under artist Sumana Dissanayake. Despite his love of art, at the time, art and design weren’t considered to be viable career paths, and eventually, Dimuthu ended up pursuing science for his Advanced Level (A/L) examination. “I was one of those people who didn’t know what to do with my life,” Dimuthu said. “I didn’t know that anything beyond an artist was possible as a career. At the time, artists were also not really highlighted; it was the mainstream careers – doctor, lawyer, and engineer. After my A/Ls, I met art teacher Shyamala Pinto Jayawardena who showed me the career aspect and what artists can do with their talent,” he went on to explain. At the same time, in 2006, Dimuthu enrolled at the Academy of Design (AOD) and followed their Design Foundation programme. “AOD played a huge part; I realised what I wanted to do. Foundation gives you a taste of everything, and evaluates you and helps you figure out what suits you. I wanted to do textiles, and then I realised fashion was the better choice.” Completing his Higher National Diploma (HND) at AOD and with AOD’s encouragement, Dimuthu then went on to complete his design education at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore before returning to Sri Lanka to commence his career. Dimuthu’s first job in fashion was with designer Kanchana Thalpawila on her label KT Brown. “That was a very important stage in my life, where I learnt everything about running a business in fashion. That’s not something you really learn in design school – it’s something you learn through trial and error.”   Starting ‘Dimuthu Sahabandu’ Dimuthu’s own label, Dimuthu Sahabandu, began a year after working with KT Brown. “I wanted to start on my own, but I didn’t have a clear picture,” Dimuthu said. “At the time, Melanie Wijesinghe had just started her company Melache and wanted to house Sri Lankan designers.” Dimuthu worked exclusively with Melache for seven years, growing the Dimuthu Sahabandu label and identifying what worked for him and what didn’t, and learning how to listen to and take feedback from customers and other designers – something which was very important to Dimuthu. “It’s hard for designers not to take feedback personally because it’s so subjective and personal preference is involved so much,” Dimuthu explained. “But it is crucial for designers to be able to work with and understand opinions, market sectors, what works for the brand, etc. so it can become something that is relevant and applicable for the market you’re in.” Having established Dimuthu Sahabandu successfully, Dimuthu shared that he now has his own production unit and studio with an in-house team that works with him in a form similar to an atelier, creating hand-worked evening wear. He doesn’t have his own store, and Dimuthu explained that this is on purpose because he prefers to work on his collections without the distraction of running his own store; instead, he works with retailers like The Design Collective, with whom he now works exclusively and who houses and handles the sales and marketing of his off-the-rack collections, leaving him to focus on craftsmanship, quality, and bespoke orders.   ‘Amira’ by Dimuthu Sahabandu: A passion project Dimuthu’s newest capsule collection “Amira” comes after a bit of a break, something Dimthu made the point to take because it’s “important for designers to take a break and refresh everything, and come up with a new point of inspiration. In the creative industry, you can’t really force what you do”. This break is part of what has helped drive Amira, Dimuthu explained, sharing that he was able to focus his energy better on Amira because of the break and not working on a traditional fashion week collection. A capsule collection of approximately 10 complete looks, Amira is a departure from Dimuthu’s usual offerings. Amira is a range of separate pieces like skirts, tops, and shawls that can be worn either as one whole look or styled individually with other pieces. Amira sees flared, embellished skirts and shawls, with expertly cut and tailored tops that create a modern, contemporary appearance influenced by Indian style. “Amira is something I’m very passionate about and have always wanted to do. I’ve always had the thought at the back of my mind of doing separate pieces that can be mixed and matched. It’s more versatile. Ethnic Indian style is something that’s always interested me,” Dimuthu said. “I love the idea of draping and the silhouettes. I’m also passionate about making something for people who like to be fashionable as well as conservative, and Amira is targeted at that kind of crowd.” Amira is being launched at The Design Collective ahead of the Eid festival and the wedding season to give people the chance to style themselves differently ahead of the season. The collection has also been planned in such a way that customers have more flexibility when it comes to styling, whether as separate pieces or as a complete look. Extra fabric is available for those who want to create their own jackets or tops. Even after 10 years of producing collections, Dimuthu shared that his favourite part of putting out collections is being able to create something from nothing and seeing how people respond to it. “When you create a collection with your own interest and creativity, when you’re making it in the studio, it’s only you and your team seeing it. Even if it is for a fashion week, we create something we really love, and when you put it out there, you see the different opinions and reactions to it. That excites me. To see how it will be seen and interpreted by different people – I find that quite interesting.”   The Dimuthu Sahabandu designer survival guide As a designer who has spent a decade building his own unique brand, Dimuthu shared a few pieces of advice for the young designers out there trying to make it. “I think the first thing I would say is that you need the ability to listen,” Dimuthu said. “It’s not how good you are or your qualifications that will set you apart; it’s how well you can mould yourself, adapt, and put feedback to good use. Most designers are creative, and when you are creative, you are a little sensitive. So when you hear different opinions and ideas and feedback on what you do, sometimes you can take it personally and not well, but you must develop the ability to listen.” Another essential skill Dimuthu felt designers need to build is awareness of what’s around them, and very importantly, awareness of the market and the customer – things like who will buy their clothes, what their disposable income is, and how much they can afford. Finally, Dimuthu encouraged designers not to be afraid to start small. “Not everyone can start big. Start small, even with a collection that’s just 10 pieces,” Dimuthu said. “If your product is correct and your pricing is correct, you start small and work your way up.” “Amira” by Dimuthu Sahabandu will be available for retail at The Design Collective, Stratford Avenue from 27 April 2021 onwards.   PHOTO © ARANTHA SIRIMANNE  
Model: Selen Jayasinghe Hair and makeup: Noary Samarasinghe Jewellery sponsor: Elly Creations Location sponsor: Gandhara PHOTOS © Yadurshika Radhakrishnan

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