Enthralled by fashion

• Stylist Sandra De Zilva on staying true to her style, while reflecting a brand’s aesthetic 

Italian fashion designer Miuccia Prada, the head designer of Prada and founder of Miu Miu, called fashion, an instant language. She said: “For me, dressing is a versatile instrument that helps you express what’s in your head, and you have many different things in your head – a relationship with a man, with society. Sometimes you want to appear powerful, or serious, or rich. All of us want to represent something.”

Representing different facets of our personality or identity is part of our personal style. Whether it is a form of expression or a façade to hide behind, fashion plays a pivotal role in our lives. As Prada said: “People often don’t want to admit that they like fashion. And yet fashion enthrals everyone, from the taxi driver to the mega-intellectual.”

Sandra De Zilva is someone who is enthralled by fashion, and she doesn’t hesitate to admit it. In fact, she has built a career out of it, having pursued her passion for fashion design for the past ten years and working with designer brands. She collaborates with these brands and does the styling and modelling herself.

“I enjoy this process of transforming into new identities while wearing contemporary styles when brands launch their fashion collections. As I have a fresh take on all I do, I’m always eager to plot my next outfit, be it for an upcoming event, or for a coffee rendezvous with my girls. I love to take positive steps towards a more worthwhile lifestyle, for a more sustainable way of living,” she shared.

Talking about some of the work she has done, De Zilva called the experience of styling and modelling festive wear lehenga sets for Fusion14 a dream. She added that this project encapsulated today’s stylish consumer with Fusion14’s finest clothing labels, a collection of timeless tradition, and the choicest designer wear, as well as the latest collection of festive wear by Raifa Nagel, Festive by Rai’n.

“Styling with textile brand Swairii, I deconstructed a Black Wizard Lilly Sarong into a tie-up dress which was a ball of fun to style, and is super comfortable and airy – ideal for this endless summer season,” she added.

When asked what it was like working with brands in Sri Lanka, she spoke about a recent opportunity where she was able to convert a red silk saree into a silhouette skirt and top for Sylk Boutique.

The process she follows begins with deciding what kind of style she wants to portray. She then gathers inspiration and creates a visual mood board that reflects the brand’s aesthetics in a visually appealing manner.

“Building an online community with Instagram influencers and models has been a fun journey thus far. Working with brands in Sri Lanka as brand partnerships, staying true to my style, keeping up with the latest trends, and connecting with authentic ethical brands has been very important to me,” De Zilva went on to say.

In terms of inspiration, the stylist said: “Living in the outskirts of Colombo, surrounded by lots of greenery and trees has been very inspiring, as one keeps evolving in time with different emotions in life, to be immersed in nature is a fresh breath of air. The free-spirited soul in me loves to be one with nature as I always gravitate towards taking part in fashion shoots outdoors. I love how nature has easily become my backdrop so effortlessly.”

However, building a career in the fashion and styling industry hasn’t been free of challenges, and De Zilva shared that finding ways to bring more value to brands can be a challenge. Still, she does her best to adapt to the brand’s requirements and style direction, while staying true to her individual style. “Brands will always respect your unique fashion sense,” she said.

When talking about challenges, one cannot overlook the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis. Looking at the brighter side of things, De Zilva said having more time on one’s hands while being stuck at home has given us the opportunity to decide what we really needed in life. “Often we tend to get stuck in a style rut, so I did look for innovative ways to zhoosh my existing design pieces.”

As of late, she has been fascinated with the process of dyeing fabrics with natural elements. “Dyeing fabrics, whether a top or dress, with different colours, has become a big thrill! I experimented with dyeing an existing white top with saffron, and then to tone down the bright hues, I added coffee and tea in boiling water. Believe me, this natural dyeing technique took me by surprise and is now a go-to when it comes to reinventing my wardrobe,” she shared.

In addition to experimenting with fabric dyeing, De Zilva is currently working with a 100% vegetarian skincare brand, Iris Garden. She also has an exciting fashion brand collaboration coming up.