- Kavita and Nuwan on Shop.Cuban
Brunch caught up with them on their brand, clothing in Sri Lanka, and more.
What inspired you to start up your brand?
Both our mottos have always been “comfort first”. But in an increasingly glam society, we found a gap in the market for comfortable clothing which is also fun and fashionable. We also identified a gap in the market for relatable content to our own culture. So we decided to create a brand that celebrates our Lankan-ness, its identity, and all its quirks. Addressing these two, we have been launching fun, relatable fashion for the past three years.
Creativity, thinking out of the box, and being bold is at the heart of every product we introduce. This formula has worked so far in helping us grow more than we could have imagined. In addition to our online presence, we also retail at Tribe, One Galle Face, Pendi, and several other local and international distributors.
When did you discover your passion for fashion?
We take a different angle to fashion. We believe that fashion should be accessible, simple, and versatile. We don’t have specific training in fashion, but what we do have is our perspective as consumers.
The kind of pieces we have currently are t-shirts and accessories that can not only be worn in your down time, but they are versatile enough to be used as statement pieces in dressed up settings too. We’re very proud of the fact that we actually have a very inclusive brand in terms of fashion. We’re size inclusive ranging from XS-XXXL. Our designs are simple enough and are worn by people of all ages. We also have a kids collection now.
We basically created a label with the kind of clothing and accessories that anyone could wear.
What is the process behind making your products?
Whenever we have ideas, we write them down. We have a pool of slogan ideas we’re always working on. Our customers give us many ideas too. Our main criteria is to ensure there is an element of our culture involved. Once we finalise our collection, we work on production, making sure the most ethically sourced, durable, and comfortable materials are chosen. The rest is handled on social media in terms of the marketing and promotions. We truly have so much fun during the whole process.
Do you hope to expand your collection to other articles of clothing?
Yes we do. Obviously Covid-19 has slowed us down in terms of production because we want to be as safe as possible in executing launches. But we do have a lot of exciting things in store.
Why did you decide to focus on Sri Lankan-based designs? Is that what makes your brand unique?
Like we mentioned before, it’s really the gap in the market that we identified that prompted us to start the brand. Most brands about Lankan culture were targeted at tourists. We wanted something for Sri Lankans by Sri Lankans. So yes, that’s one of the things that make our brand unique. But I think for us the use of originality, humour, and the minimalist designs is something else that makes our brand unique as well.
Tell me about your latest collection.
Our latest launch was the “Eat. Drink. Baila.” t-shirt which we thought perfectly encapsulates what it means to be a Sri Lankan. It is one of our best-sellers and sold out in two days! We’ve kept restocking but they still sell out every time. To know we made something for us to feel celebratory about during these difficult times is something we’re very proud of.
How important are sustainable practices to your brand?
We really do focus on this aspect a lot. We choose material that is durable so that the wearability period is very long. We’ve gone mostly paper-based with our packaging (this has been revised due to safety during the pandemic). And the most important thing is that we’re not a fast fashion brand. We don’t have frequent launches. We create durable, long-term wear clothing and accessories that we hope become staples in anyone’s closet. We do wish to focus on this more with time.
Do you have any plans for the future?
Yes we do. It’s to keep creating fun, relatable clothing and accessories. We’re working on some exciting collaborations not just for clothing but other items and products as well.
Instagram: @shop.cuban