This past weekend saw a Sri Lankan bid us farewell forever. Kala Suri Barbara Sansoni-Lewcock, also known as Barbara Sansoni, was one of those rare creative minds who helped shape generations of Sri Lankans. A veteran Sri Lankan designer, artist, colourist, entrepreneur, and writer, Sansoni passed away on 23 April, a day after celebrating her 94th birthday.
She was known across many sectors for her works in architecture, textile designs, and hand-woven panels. Most famously, she founded Barefoot, the textile company that redefined handloom textiles in the 1960s-’70s and is often credited with redefining the concept of colour in Sri Lanka, empowering women weavers, and transforming several national cottage industries through Barefoot and her other projects.
With Barefoot, Barbara served as Chairperson and Chief Designer, guiding what began as a textile company to become one of Sri Lanka’s most prolific lifestyle brands.
The woman behind Barefoot
Barbara was born on 22 April 1928 in Kandy, and showed an early interest in art and an intense love for colour. Living and travelling in South Asia also exposed her to the abundantly colourful ways of life that make up the South Asian identity.
An artist and writer, Barbara also worked as a journalist and essayist in the 1960s, going on to publish several books later in her life.
Barefoot, the business and brand Barbara would ultimately devote most of her life to nurturing, began in the early 1960s when a family friend, the Mother Good Counsel of the Sisters of the Order of the Good Shepherd, asked her to design cloth for the weaving centres they supported.
Inspired by the principles and intricacies of weaving, Barbara soon found ways to express her unique style and sense of colour through handloom textiles. This style, what would come to be known simply as the Barefoot style – simple rectilinear proportions inspired by everything from land and seascapes, plants and animals, and ancient art – became very popular in Colombo, sowing the seeds for the Barefoot brand.
Today, Barefoot’s flagship store in Colombo which includes a shop, art gallery, bookshop, and courtyard cafe forms a tranquil, creative oasis of colour and life in the heart of Colombo, blending what Barbara held most dear – vivid colour, good design, incredible art, and delightful music.
Remembering Barbara and her legacy
- The Sansoni family
Barbara entered the world in colour and left in colour. Her impact as a woman, mother, wife, sister, grandmother, artist, and visionary is immeasurable.
For her family, there has been a great peace and gratitude for her life being one well-lived, one we shared, and that she passed with her grace and dignity.
We will continue her legacy of joy and colour and will be forever grateful for the outpouring of love, admiration and respect she has received upon her passing.
- Kesara Ratnavibhushana
My earliest memory of her was from when I was four years (or so) of age. Barbara infused the world of Sri Lankan art and design with tremendous character and the boldness to be the best version of itself. Her celebration of the nation’s colour palette expressed primarily through traditional methods – particularly handloom – proved that one could create timeless designs that were also uniquely Sri Lankan.
For a nation forging a post-independence identity, the contribution of Barefoot cannot be emphasised enough. It should also be noted that the physical site of the company she founded acts as a hub for artistic expression – which, much like her, is allowed to be free.
- Anoma Wijewardene
I was blessed to know Barbara Sansoni from my childhood. Along with Ena De Silva and Chloe De Soysa, she was hugely inspirational, exciting, and fun to be with long before I was old enough to understand how brilliant and unusual she was, and how amazingly fortunate I was to be in her presence and listen to her views and her particular and unique angle on life and art.
The colours, the fabrics, the stories, and the aura only grew more fantastic in time, and I remember every word of our very funny and colourful conversation the last time we met! A legend of our time, her power and charisma remains to warm our hearts forever, thanks to Dom and Naz, through that special magic and joy that is Barefoot.
- Selyna Peiris
While I never had the privilege of meeting Barbara personally, through her legend, I feel that she totally redefined Sri Lankan handloom, and I know that she’ll always continue to be an icon – the colours, the checks, the entire Barefoot identity is all inspired by her.
What really comes to mind for me, being in the handloom industry, is that she gave the industry a new lease of life. We don’t know what handloom would be like without Barbara Sansoni. She not only redefined handloom in terms of colour but also in the belief that the industry was worthwhile and could be defined with a clear Sri Lankan identity. That is because of what pioneers like Barabara did 50 or 60 years ago – the strong identity they built and the huge contribution they made.
- Kingsley Gunatillake
Barbara Sansoni had a huge impact on how we see colour. When I was a student at university, I visited Barefoot a lot of the time and was influenced greatly by Barbara’s take on colour theory through her practice. It was a turning point in Sri Lankan colour culture.
Barbara’s legacy on Sri Lankan art will continue like a tree growing, spreading, and taking root. Her influence will live on though young people and artists in the field who will research her and be inspired by the colour culture she built.
