The fashion industry comes across as one of glamour and splendour, but the behind the scenes workings of the industry remain elusive to most of us. Any revelations about the ugly side of the fashion industry are often hidden beneath the glimmer and sparkle of fashion shows and photoshoots. However, fashion designer Akash Paranavithana, and director and scriptwriter Avon Danne are focusing the spotlight on the good, bad, and the ugly of the fashion industry through a series titled Patchwork.
The Daily Morning Brunch had the opportunity to attend the screening of the first episode of Patchwork at Scope Cinemas a few weeks ago, and found the production to be light-hearted while still dealing with heavy topics. A photographer’s predatory behaviour is dismissed, for instance, when a female model flags them, but a male model is teased about his interest in the same photographer.
The protagonist of the show is Ryan, a fashion designer, played by actor and martial artist Ashen Dileepa Siriwardana, and while the character comes across as someone who struggles to balance his many responsibilities, we also see how many different people and factors he must juggle to keep things going. For instance, Ryan sleeps in and is now late for a photoshoot, but is then forced to deal with a seamstress who takes her own cool time sewing the outfits needed for the photoshoot.
We also see what models are required to go through in order to secure jobs and opportunities, having to cater to the needs of fashion designers, photographers, and brands, or publications. Beyond the glamour of the photoshoots however, we see how lacking of glamour their lives are, with bedrooms that look sparse and quite ordinary, a more realistic take compared to the often Hollywood-like depictions in local productions, and the use of three-wheelers, even by the fashion designer who seems to be held in high esteem.
It would be interesting to see what the creators of Patchwork have in store for us with future episodes, but until we hear more about this TV series, The Daily Morning Brunch spoke to some of its cast members to learn more about their involvement in Patchwork.
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Turning dreams into reality
Speaking about his experience working on Patchwork, lead actor Ashen Dileepa Siriwardana said this is his first time working on a production of this nature, where the dialogue is a mix of Sinhala and English. “It was a good experience for me because Avon Danne and Akash Paranavithana knew what they were doing, as did the production crew, artists, extra artists and so on, who were really helpful in making my character Ryan possible.”
When asked how much he drew from real life to bring Ryan alive, Ashen said he describes himself as being hyperactive, which he used to overplay his character. He added that he was nervous about how his efforts would look on screen, but was relieved to receive a thumbs up from the audience after the first episode was screened. He said he received positive comments, and hoped to improve his work in future episodes.
He commended the efforts of the creators, saying Avon and Akash had a vision, which they have turned into Patchwork. Ashen said it is possible to make such dreams come true, if effort is put in.
“I am also a dreamer. I was going through many hardships and difficulties when entering the industry. This is my fifth year in the industry, but I have been a dreamer since childhood, and wanted to be an actor like Shah Rukh Khan or Bruce Lee – they were my childhood icons,” he said.
He went on to say that the results, box office, and numbers don’t matter when making dreams come true, as it is the effort and what one does to make their vision a reality. “That’s what I want to tell anyone who wants to come to the industry, whether as an actor, fashion designer, producer or director. Go through everything you want to do and try and try and one day, you will make it come true.”
Ashen comes from a sports background, specifically martial arts, and said that he would like to portray a range of characters in the future, especially a role that is creative, energetic and active.
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Serendipitous
Amandha Amarasekara, a model in real life who plays a model in Patchwork used the word serendipitous to describe his experience working on the production. He was supposed to work on another project with Avon Danne and had worked with Akash Paranavithana on Colombo Fashion Week. This is how he got involved in Patchwork. “This was merely a suggestion at one point that managed to manifest itself into something good. It's serendipitous. An absolute chance.”
Amandha shared his thoughts on the project, saying it gives a very realistic touch as to how the fashion world works. “And this is a side of fashion that nobody sees. Everyone sees the glam and glitz, and people walk up and down looking fancy. But there is the stress that affects the actors, choreographers, hairdressers, and everyone else. That is pretty much the synopsis.”
While adding that the project has a hush hush nature to it, Amandha said one of the highlights the first episode captures is how there are sometimes relationship issues between the photographers, who are often seniors, and the models, who have to what they have to in order to get to the place they want to reach.
“As a model, this is something that I feel everyone should watch because everyone wants to be a model without actually knowing what that entails. While it’s not the prettiest picture, there are two sides to every coin and this is just one side to it,” he added.
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Insight on struggles
Bringing her experience as a model to the screen is Muthumali Perera, who said she got involved in the project after Patchwork creator Akash Paranavithana, a close friend, suggested she play a role in the TV series.
“Most of the people don’t really see what goes on behind the scenes, the struggles that everyone goes through, from the designer and model to the makeup artist and photographers. I think this series focuses more on those elements. People can get an insight on the whole process.”
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The unseen side of fashion
Brayan Livera went from being a software engineer to a full-time model, and said he entered the industry by participating in the Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) way back in 2011. This year was his 13th year of walking the CFW ramp. Brayan hopes to move into acting, and is currently studying acting at the Mahendra Perera Acting Studio. He also played a small role in the teledrama Nonimi.
Speaking about his character on Patchwork, Brayan said he plays the role of a photographer. “I have so much experience with photographers, while working and in a personal manner, so I know how they think inside out.” Brayan shared that photographers can sometimes be crass, treating people differently depending on the power they hold. This is seen through Brayan’s character.
He explained that when it comes to photoshoots, the models have very little control or authority. It is mainly the designer and photographer who is in charge. Patchwork explores the relationship between photographers and designers, as well as brands or magazines, which often pay the photographer. Brayan revealed that in addition to these power relations, photographers can also be a bit creepy or inappropriate, working on their own agenda.
Brayan went on to say that the fashion industry is seen as a glamorous world, with industry personalities enjoying life from morning till night. However, both male and female models face many challenges and are required to make certain compromises.
“There is also a lot of sexual harassment, which we don’t talk about openly and this is experienced not only by female models but male models as well. Sometimes, to get into certain brands or fashion shows, models are required to make certain sacrifices and are pressured into doing certain things. There are so many such incidents that take place when getting into this glamorous world,” Brayan said, adding that even after making a name for yourself, you are required to maintain a certain image or lifestyle.
Brayan shared his own experiences as a model, saying certain brands say they prefer working with foreign models as local models may be seen having a cup of tea, for instance, at a small food outlet, which the brand believes will look bad on them. However, he added that brands tend to pay local models poorly, with foreign models often getting double the pay.
Speaking about Patchwork, Brayan said this was his first experience working on a production of this sort, having previously worked on short films and assignments for his acting court. “It was a nice experience with the team, and all of them have a background in modelling so they were speaking the same language as me.”
Brayan added that the first stage of production involved creators Akash Paranavithana and Avon Danne explaining their vision and helping the cast understand their characters. It was only then that they moved on to acting, Brayan said, adding that they had to work through many hardships, which made seeing the first episode as a finished product a joyful experience.