• Dinushi Pamunuwa of La Pard on showcasing at Milan Fashion Week

The Sri Lankan fashion space goes far beyond our position as an apparel manufacturing hub. Design is an integral part of the Lankan DNA. For the most part, the local design landscape focuses on combining tradition with modernity.  

Sri Lankan fashion in particular has a rich cultural heritage spanning centuries, which has evolved into a unique tapestry of colours, textures, textiles, and craftsmanship. The last 20 years or so have seen Sri Lanka’s fashion scene undergo something of a transformation driven by a new generation of designers who are blending traditional techniques and textiles with modern design aesthetics and sensibilities to create truly contemporary products that can represent Sri Lanka (and Sri Lankan design) on the global stage. 

One such designer is Dinushi Pamunuwa, who, through her batik brand La Pard, has been working to revitalise the dying heritage textile craft. On Friday (22) she showcased the beauty of Sri Lankan batik at Milan Fashion Week, one of the four core global fashion weeks (the others being New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and London Fashion Week).

The Sunday Morning Brunch sat down with Dinushi for a quick chat ahead of her showcase for some insight into how she got into fashion and what drives her as a designer to work with traditional Sri Lankan craft textiles and slow, ethical fashion. 

An unconventional beginning

Born and raised in Kandy, Dinushi was always one to forge her own path and from day dot was always fascinated by fashion. “Even when I was very young, I was interested in what I was wearing,” Dinushi recalled. “It was odd because my family is very conventional and Kandy is not known for being a fashion hub. That’s how it all started.”

As she pondered her higher education options, Dinushi’s family’s aspirations for her also leaned towards a more traditional path, but in the end, her fascination with fashion led her to go against the grain. 

“My mom is a doctor and she wanted me or my brother to become professionals. I did languages for my A/Levels, thinking it would be a stepping stone to higher fashion studies. I was even considering the University of Peradeniya and a traditional degree,” Dinushi shared, and in the end, she did both for a while – studying fashion at Academy of Design (AOD) in Colombo while also parallelly pursuing a degree at the University of Peradeniya for a year-and-a-half – but eventually steered away from academia and toward practical experience in the fashion industry.

Dinushi’s first steps in the fashion world, though exciting, were also a wake-up call about the often wasteful and exploitative nature of fashion. Through her exposure at AOD, which focused on introducing students to Sri Lankan heritage craft textiles like handloom, beeralu, and batik lace, she became more conscious of the various crafts associated with fashion and sought to make a difference through her work.

She eschewed the fast fashion model and focused on niche, small-scale production, while championing the traditional Sri Lankan craft of batik – a craft that greatly inspired her both on a personal level and as a designer. 

Batik is a traditional textile craft with Indonesian roots known for its intricate, hand-drawn designs and vibrant colours. It involves applying hot wax to fabric in specific patterns, which acts as a dye-resistant barrier. The fabric is then dyed and the waxed areas retain their original colour. Afterwards, the wax is removed, revealing a unique and visually stunning design. 

This labour-intensive and artistic process results in one-of-a-kind textiles, making batik a cherished craft with deep cultural roots. Its labour-intensive nature, modernisation, limited training opportunities, and declining interest in growing the industry have contributed to a general decline of the batik craft, despite some of Sri Lanka’s most famous contemporary artists and designers using batik heavily in their work. 

“What excites me most about the batik craft is that it will never be the same thing twice – because it’s entirely hand-done and can be so tedious and unpredictable,” Dinushi said. “Even if you take the most basic batik designs like the crackles [when wax is applied and then the fabric is folded or crushed to create cracks in the wax – i.e. crackles – that will absorb dye during the dyeing process], it will never be the same thing twice. That’s one of the main things that always excites me when I design with batik.”

The birth of La Pard

La Pard, Dinushi’s brainchild, came into existence in 2017, initially with a focus on luxury batik lingerie. As the brand evolved, it ventured into ready-to-wear fashion, making its debut at Colombo Fashion Week, showcasing both menswear and womenswear. La Pard’s journey has been marked by careful consideration of the craft and a dedication to sustainability in ‘slow fashion’.

Slow fashion emphasises quality, sustainability, and ethical production, with a focus on durability and timeless designs. It aims to reduce waste and minimise environmental impact by promoting long-lasting garments made with care. In contrast, fast fashion [the model that the majority of fashion businesses use] prioritises mass production and rapid turnover of trendy, inexpensive clothing. This approach often leads to disposable fashion, contributing to environmental problems and labour exploitation.

La Pard’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond the artistic realm. The brand focuses on creating unique clothing and accessories while adhering to ‘slow fashion’ principles. It offers capsule collections and made-to-order garments and avoids mass production. Dinushi collaborates closely with artisans to explore innovative ways to use the craft, all while ensuring fair wages and ethical treatment for these craftspeople. 

She’s not only committed to preserving the traditional craft but also to uplifting the lives of the communities involved in her production process. Ethical manufacturing practices and a focus on handmade, unique pieces that incorporate the traditional batik craft in a contemporary manner underscore La Pard’s identity and have helped the brand garner a loyal following. 

La Pard’s growing influence has seen the brand featured in the October 2022 issue of British Vogue and it has consistently participated in events like Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), Colombo Fashion Week, and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka since its inception.

Lankan batik at Milan Fashion Week

Friday, 22 September, marked a pivotal moment in La Pard’s journey, with the brand showcasing at the Runway Show by Fashion Vibes, one of the several fringe events that build up the Milan Fashion Week calendar. 

Dinushi shared that this incredible opportunity came about when the organisers contacted her through Instagram, expressing interest in her work. Initially, she was offered the Autumn/Winter show in February 2023. Dinushi had explained that it did not align with her brand’s tropical focus, and so, after some discussion, she was offered a spot in the Spring/Summer 2024 showcase and a financial grant to help her make use of the offer – an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up.

Milan Fashion Week gathers designers from around the world, showcasing a diverse array of fashion. La Pard’s showcase will mark its, and Dinushi’s, debut on the international stage. Speaking to her a few days before the show, Brunch learned that the final steps of the process involve casting for models, fittings, rehearsals, and additional preparations leading up to the main event. 

Dinushi shared that she was eagerly looking forward to the Milan show, where she would have the opportunity to connect with buyers and enthusiasts who appreciate the intricacies of slow fashion and the beauty of batik, but that she was also quite nervous because it was her first international show. 

Reflecting on her remarkable journey, Dinushi acknowledged the pivotal role played by Annika Fernando, the owner of the retail boutique PR, who was one of the first to believe in her brand. She was connected to Annika by the former Principal of AOD Karen MacLeod, who, on hearing of Dinushi’s initial vision for La Pard – a batik lingerie brand – introduced her to PR.

One of the biggest challenges for young designers in the Sri Lankan fashion industry, Dinushi explained, was that the focus can often be on designers’ social networks and connections as opposed to the brand they are trying to create. “Annika has been the only person who took me in, not knowing anything about me,” Dinushi said. “I started not knowing a lot of things about running a brand, but she helped me grow both as a person and as a brand.”

La Pard’s exclusive partnership with PR has been mutually beneficial, allowing the brand to establish itself firmly in the fashion industry. Dinushi also emphasises the importance of sustainability in every aspect of their work: “Our focus is on sustainability, from the fabrics we use to our ethical manufacturing practices. Being a sustainable and ethical brand is very important to us.”

Sustainable fashion: A necessary global movement Core to the La Pard brand, and to a good deal of Sri Lankan designers, are the values of sustainability – an awareness of the wasteful and exploitative nature of fashion and actively working to shift the balance. Dinushi believes that sustainability in fashion is a two-way street, involving both designers and consumers. 

She asserts: “A 50/50 responsibility exists between designers and brands and then consumers. If consumers ask questions, designers will change, but designers also respond to market demand. If both parties come together, it’s a lot easier.”

In Sri Lanka, Dinushi acknowledges that the slow fashion movement is still taking baby steps, but she hopes that in the coming years, the industry can make a difference. Her brand, La Pard, stands as a testament to what can be achieved when dedication to traditional craft, ethical practices, and sustainability are at the forefront of fashion.

Dinushi believes that fashion has a responsibility to address its environmental and social impact. “Fashion, in general, has been slow to realise how much damage it has been causing,” she said. “Fast fashion is doing so much damage and we didn’t realise it soon enough. There are so many clothes in landfills, people being exploited, and profits taking precedence over the well-being of humans and the environment.

“The slow fashion movement is making progress, but there’s still a long way to go. People are becoming more conscious and that’s a positive change. However, we must be cautious about greenwashing. Some brands talk about sustainability without genuine commitment. Creating awareness is crucial. If we come together as an industry and collaborate, there’s a lot more we can achieve. But similar to the global issue, we’re taking baby steps. Designers and brands are talking about it, but there’s still a lot to be done.”

La Pard’s commitment to sustainability, ethical practices, and the preservation of traditional crafts exemplifies the positive impact that the fashion industry can have when it prioritises responsible choices. As Dinushi takes her batik-inspired brand to Milan Fashion Week, she remains dedicated to making a difference in the world of fashion while staying true to her roots in Sri Lanka’s rich heritage.