• Inside Astroid's next chapter

After years of building a loyal online community, Astroid, Sri Lanka’s fast-growing athleisure label, has opened its very first flagship store. 

The launch marks a defining moment for the brand, offering customers a physical space to experience its textures, silhouettes, and design philosophy firsthand. Known for bringing together performance-driven construction and expressive style, Astroid’s expansion signals its steady rise from a fledgling online venture to a movement shaping how Sri Lankans dress for training and daily life.

The Daily Morning Brunch sat down with Co-Founder Oshara Kariyakarawana, the 25-year-old entrepreneur behind the label, to talk about the new space, the brand’s evolution, and what comes next.

The flagship store is a major milestone. What can customers expect when they step inside?

Opening the store felt like unlocking the next chapter of Astroid. For the first time, people can touch the fabrics, test the stretch, and see the colours exactly as we envisioned them. The space was designed to reflect our identity – clean lines, open displays, and a layout inspired by movement. You’ll find our core collections displayed by function so shoppers can explore based on how they train, dress, or unwind.

What excites me most is that the store lets customers interact with the brand in a way online shopping can't fully replicate. They can try pieces on, understand how they contour the body, and get personalised guidance from our team.

Why was now the right time to move from being online-only to launching a physical store?

We built a strong digital audience, and that was essential in our early stages. But so many customers started asking if they could try pieces on before purchasing, especially our seamless range and signature fits. When you create performance wear, the physical experience matters – people want to know how a pair of leggings holds up during movement or how a crop top feels when layered for daily wear.

The flagship is our response to that need. It allows us to bring community events, product trials, and fit consultations into one place. And honestly, Sri Lanka’s fitness culture is changing rapidly. We wanted a space that celebrates that shift.

Tell us about the early days of Astroid and what inspired the brand.

I’ve always loved fashion and training. For years, I felt there was a gap in the local market for activewear that wasn’t too plain or too expensive. I wanted pieces that looked as good as they performed — something confident, expressive, and functional.

Astroid started as a simple idea: create performance wear shaped around the way Sri Lankans move and live. That meant paying attention to fit, breathability, durability, and making sure our designs flatter a wide range of bodies. The name came from my father, actually. He suggested it during one of our brainstorming sessions, and it stuck immediately.

Every brand faces hurdles in the beginning. What were some of yours?

Production was a big learning curve. Coordinating large-scale orders with manufacturers while meeting launch deadlines felt almost impossible at times. There were moments when fabrics were delayed or sample revisions came back completely wrong.

We also had no background in fashion production, so every photoshoot, every fitting, every colour test taught us something new. Looking back, those experiences shaped our processes today – we’re much more precise with specifications and timelines now.

Who supported you through that process?

My family, and my partner and Co-Founder Lahiru Rambukwella, who also heads our marketing, have been my backbone. From choosing materials to testing samples, they were involved in everything. There were nights we stayed up comparing fabric swatches or re-shortlisting designs because something didn’t feel right.

We also had a wonderful group of friends, creatives, and models who believed in what we were building even before our first collection was out. Their honesty, even the brutal parts, helped shape Astroid into a stronger brand.

What makes Astroid’s product range stand out in the athleisure space?

Every piece starts with performance. We think about stretch recovery, airflow, stitch construction, and how the garment will behave during daily movement. Then we layer in style – prints, silhouettes, and colours that feel bold but wearable.

Our products are designed for all genders and body shapes. We keep pricing accessible because fitness shouldn’t feel exclusive. And we drop new styles regularly so there’s something fresh to look forward to each month.

Astroid emphasises sustainability. How does that reflect in your operations?

Sustainability is an evolving commitment, not a one-time decision. We work with manufacturers who minimise waste during production, especially when cutting patterns. Our packaging is biodegradable, and we digitise as much of our workflow as possible to reduce paper use.

Is the fashion industry perfect? Not at all. But we want to contribute consciously as we grow.

One of your signature phrases is that Astroid can “play by day and slay by night.” What do you mean by that?

Our pieces are versatile. You can train in them, style them for brunch, head to the beach, or layer them for a night out. If you take something like our crop tops or sports bras, they pair beautifully with jeans or a jacket. Athleisure shouldn’t be limited to workouts – it should mirror everyday life.

Let's talk about materials. How do you choose the fabrics?

Oshara: Fabric selection is the hardest part of the job. We test everything – stretch percentage, opacity, softness, and whether it maintains shape after multiple washes. We prefer colours that energise and cuts that support movement without restricting it.

For our seamless pieces, we experiment with composition blends to ensure support for training while still feeling comfortable on the skin.

The brand grew online. What has that experience been like compared to traditional retail?

Online retail gave us reach. Our website is simple and quick, offering multiple payment options and instalment plans through partners. We deliver quickly within Sri Lanka and ship internationally as well.

But online retail doesn’t allow people to experience fit in real time. That’s the biggest difference the flagship store now solves.

What does this flagship store symbolise for Astroid?

It’s a physical expression of everything we’ve built  – our design language, our community, our growth. It acts as a hub where customers can learn about our fabrics, attend product launches, and see how collections evolve.

It also marks our next phase: expanding into more lifestyle categories, exploring swimwear, and strengthening our global presence.

Finally, what advice would you give someone trying to build a brand in fast-moving fashion?

Do it because you care about the craft. Trends change quickly, so your passion has to carry you through the challenges. Work hard, ask questions, make mistakes, and don’t wait for the ‘perfect moment.’

If you’re dreaming of starting something, especially as a young woman, take the leap. The path won’t be smooth, but it will be worth it.