Among Sri Lanka’s very first fashion concept stores, PR, a modern space for lifestyle luxuries and eclectic design recently hosted various collections from Indian brands, En Inde and Bodice.
Featuring visionary women at its helm, both brands offered buyers present at the En Inde designer meet-and-greet on Friday, 21 September, exciting ways to redefine what it means to dress like a woman.
By way of introducing their collections to The Morning, En Inde’s Creative Director, Anupama Sukh Lalavani, and Co-Founder, Sonal Sood, styled Annika Fernando, Owner of PR, in an exciting showcase of skill, passion, and design.
With necklaces featuring tightly coiled strands of jute and edgy metallic creations, En Inde’s approach to fashion is one that is personally meaningful and ripe with references to the duality of human nature and womanhood itself.
With a call to ‘find your steel’ and a challenge to traditional gender stereotypes, En Inde’s fearless pieces highlight both a woman’s femininity as well as her inherent strength. Falling under specific themes and collections, each piece, nonetheless, can be seamlessly mixed, matched, and layered as styled by Anu herself, as she is fondly referred to.
Stating that the shape of her jewellery is inspired by that of a seed, the fashion-forward duo styled an array of chunky necklaces on Annika with creative abandon. Here, statement chokers and tasselled numbers toting crescent-shaped talismans proved the most popular.
With meaning behind each colour and twist of metal, Anu shared that tapping into her source of artistic creativity is easy because every piece is based entirely on her recollections and experiences. With the ‘Chahtal’ collection based on her experiences of the village of Chah Tal-e Shomareh-ye She in Iran and the ‘Oceana’ collection based on the sea – a significant part of her everyday life – each item is a clue to deciphering the designer’s well-travelled life.
Stating that the jewellery is meant to be worn and styled in a way that’s comfortable and fitting to each person, the bracelets, rings, and chains from En Inde are both stunning and versatile. When asked who they believe would make the best brand ambassadors for their works of art, Anu and Sonal shot straight for the stars, citing that figures like Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, and RiRi are some of their top choices.
When asked from where she drew the inspiration for the title of her brand, Anu related an anecdote in which she was struggling to find a way to translate her roots in India into a catchy name. While in Geneva, she noticed that a particular piece clothing toted a label that read “Fabriqué en Inde’, which reads ‘Made in India’. It was here that the compelling name of the brand was born.
With Bodice also hanging fresh on the racks at PR, buyers found refreshing options to pair En Inde’s fearless jewellery. With its pleated and elegant trousers, classic midi dresses, breezy and bright tops, the brand is a testament to the sophisticated outlook of head designer and recipient of Elle’s Style Award for Breakthrough Designer (2012), Ruchika Sachdeva.
With the mission of exploring transnational staples, Bodice places an emphasis on fair trade, business responsibility, and a respect for the provenance of craft. Using authentic Indian textiles, Ruchika is renowned for fashion that ranges from work wear to pieces fit for more elegant affairs.
Worn by Bollywood stars like Anushka Sharma, the brand’s Instagram page is enough to give buyers a lust for classic tailoring and silky numbers they never knew existed. Ruchika’s design work, in fact, even landed her an award claimed in the past by industry heavyweights such as Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent – the International Woolmark Prize (Women’s Wear/2018).
While both brands were available exclusively at PR for a limited time, this move is one that predetermines broader horizons for the local retail store. Run under the awnings of the Paradise Road group, PR proudly hosts a number of eclectic collections, including those of Maus – Annika’s very own clothing brand.
Situated at 41 Horton Place, the address is also shared by the Saskia Fernando Gallery – an equally stunning space showcasing modern art and crafts.
PR
Website: pr.lk
Facebook: facebook.com/PRSriLanka
Instagram: instagram.com/pr_srilanka
En Inde
Website: eninde.com
Facebook: facebook.com/En-Inde-
Instagram: instagram.com/enindedesign
Bodice
Website: bodice.co.in
Facebook: facebook.com/Bodice
Instagram: instagram.com/bodicebodice
By Archana Heenpella
