Colombo Fashion Week introduces Swim with the aim of making Sri Lanka the swimwear capital

OLU Tropical Water presents Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) Swim, which aims to launch Sri Lanka as a swimwear hub in Asia and serve as a leading platform for swimwear designers and manufacturers in the region, and beyond. CFW Swim is technically supported by state-of-the-art swimwear manufacturer, Linea Aqua, and will showcase the latest collections of nine Sri Lankan and three international swimwear labels. Hosted by Hilton Colombo, CFW Swim will take place on 7 and 8 of August 2015 at the Hilton Colombo Poolside.

Regarded as the backbone of the Sri Lankan fashion industry, CFW was established in 2003 and introduced ‘Spring/Summer’ as its primary season the same year. In 2012, CFW launched ‘Resort’ as a second season in its calendar. This year, CFW introduces ‘Swim’ as a third annual season to showcase the latest trends and collections in swimwear and raise Sri Lanka’s profile in the global swimwear industry.

“Swimwear is strategic to Sri Lanka in terms of both fashion consumption and manufacturing. It is a platform that Sri Lanka can boast of internationally. In terms of relevance, CFW Swim is presented by its title partner, OLU, a rare and luxurious brand of tropical water from Sri Lanka that is destined for international recognition. We are also pleased to have Linea Aqua as our partner, who shares our vision of creating a global impact with this platform,” says Ajai V. Singh, President and Founder, Colombo Fashion Week.

The title partner of CFW Swim, OLU Tropical Water, is a new and proud Sri Lankan brand of natural mineral water. OLU Tropical Water is sourced from one of the rarest cloud forests in Sri Lanka, which are found 4,300 feet above sea level. A game-changer in the bottled water industry, OLU Tropical Water brings the purest drinking water to consumers and will launch to coincide with the inaugural edition of CFW Swim.
“We are pleased to launch OLU Tropical Water as the title partner of CFW Swim. OLU is our very own tropical water originating from the cloud forests of Sri Lanka. Eating organic and keeping fit is very much a part of our lifestyles; equally, we need to pay attention to the type of water we put into our body. As title partner of CFW Swim, we believe in their vision to create a regional and, possibly, an international platform for Sri Lanka. Like other regional water brands, it is time Sri Lanka took her tropical water to the world,” says Amal de Silva Wijeyeratne, Managing Director, OLU Tropical Water.

CFW also partners with Linea Aqua, Sri Lanka’s foremost manufacturer of swimwear, to realize its vision to project Sri Lanka as a hub for swimwear design and manufacturing amongst the global creative class. Linea Aqua has gained wide acclaim for its outstanding manufacturing capabilities which has, in turn, contributed to Sri Lanka’s reputation for nurturing one of the finest apparel manufacturing sectors of the world.

“We are excited about CFW Swim because it is finally providing an opportunity for Sri Lanka to be highlighted as a centre and total service provider for the swimwear industry in the world. Over the last few years, Sri Lanka has developed from being just a cut-and-sew manufacturer to providing services like design and development, as well as an entire range of supply chain solutions around the swimwear industry. Swim by CFW will enable us to showcase this progress as well as create excitement around the industry, making it a regular feature on the global fashion calendar,” says Sarinda Unamboowe, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Linea Aqua.

CFW Swim is also enriched by its partnerships with Nissan (Official Automobile Partner), Yamaha (Official Jet Ski Brand), American & Efird Lanka, Bodyline, Ramani Fernando Salons (Official Hair and Make-Up Partner) and Leo Burnett (Official PR Partner) – who believes in the vision and aspirations of CFW.

Swimwear is a specialized category and has evolved to become a multimillion-dollar global industry, with a growing number of Sri Lankan and international designers creating independent swimwear labels or swimwear collections under existing fashion labels. CFW Swim will feature the latest trends and developments in swimwear, and connect emerging and established swimwear labels with important fashion buyers, consumers, editors, journalists and fashion influencers, through an exciting series of events that include poolside runway shows, pop-up trend stores and exclusive segments.

CFW Swim will create a citywide celebration of style and glamour during its shows; with CFW Fashion+Food presenting sensational, limited edition menus at five partnering restaurants, Café Francais, rare at Residence, Kaema Sutra, Clique Cuisine and Il Ponte at Hilton Colombo, from 7 to 9 August 2015. Il Ponte will also serve as the Fashion Café and Bar at CFW Swim throughout the weekend of the shows. CFW After Parties will host the Morning After Party, a day-to-night poolside brunch party, on 9 August from 12 noon to 8 p.m. at the Hilton Colombo Poolside.

CFW is one of four main Fashion Weeks in Asia that are over ten years old and, as a developmental project, is constantly creating innovative runway and retail opportunities for Sri Lankan designers to gain exposure and breakthrough into the global fashion arena. Continuing to inspire growth within the Sri Lankan fashion industry, CFW has propelled the careers of some of Sri Lanka’s most successful fashion designers. It is considered the most recognized fashion platform in Sri Lanka and one of the most respected in the region.

For more information on CFW Swim, including designers and schedules, visit the official Colombo Fashion Week website (www.colombofashionweek.com). For the latest updates on runway shows, Fashion+Food, AfterParties and behind-the-scenes activities, follow CFW on Facebook (www.facebook.com/colombofashionweek), Twitter (@colombofw) and Instagram (@colombofw).