Swim Week Colombo to host swim dialogues through TrendSwim

Ajai-Vir-Singh---Founder-and-President-of-Colombo-Fashion-Week

Swim Week Colombo, presented by OLU Tropical Water, introduces TrendSwim – an engaging series of dialogues and talks around the international swimwear industry. A technical collaboration with Linea Aqua, Swim Week Colombo will bring together experts, thought leaders and influencers to discuss the trends and innovations that are driving the swimwear industry today. TrendSwim will take place on 25 June at 11.00 am, at the Hilton Colombo.

Started in 2015, Swim Week Colombo is Asia’s first fashion week dedicated to swimwear and is a merging point for swimwear designers, manufacturers, buyers, retailers and media. Sri Lanka, which boasts world-class swimwear manufacturing facilities and has international status as an island holiday destination, is strategically positioned as an exciting swimwear hub and destination. Swim Week Colombo is the foremost fashion platform for Sri Lankan swimwear designers and provides international swimwear designers the opportunity to showcase and retail their latest collections in the region.

The programme at TrendSwim will kick off with its first dialogue – India Untapped: Is there an untapped opportunity for swimwear? This session will explore the growing demand for swimwear in India as cultural and societal norms change in a country in which swimming plays no significant role in culture or lifestyle. Panelists for this session are David Abraham, Creative Director of Abraham &Thakore and Mihirini de Zoysa, Programme Moderator. 

Heidi-Gosman---Co-Founder-and-Creative-Director-of-Heidi-Klein

The swim dialogue will be – Direction: Swimwear Trends – by Heidi Gosman, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Heidi Klein; Eric Koby, CEO of Heidi Klein and Mihirini de Zoysa. This session will address design, trends and direction for swimwear, as well as retail, supply chain and swimwear market from a business point of view. 

The last segment on the programme line-up is another dialogue – Fashion for Good: Can there be goodness in swimwear fashion? The panellists for this session comprise Sarinda Unamboowe, CEO/Managing Director of Linea Aqua, AjaiVir Singh, Founder and President of Colombo Fashion Week, author of the phrase ‘Garments without Guilt’ and the global marketing programme that won Asia a Global Effie. Mihirini de Zoysa will moderate this session, which will address the various aspects of ‘goodness’ in swimwear fashion, from ethical sourcing to social impact to positive body image. 

Mihirini de Zoysa is the Managing Director of Corporate Druids and a practitioner of good and artful conversations. She subscribes to the idea of ‘dialoguing’, which is a conversation with mutual purpose at its centre and not necessarily structured with predestined agenda or goal.

Entrance to Trend Swim is free-of-charge. Registrations for Trend Swim are now open on the official Swim Week Colombo website (swimweekcolombo.com) and on the official TrendSwim Facebook event page.

Swim Week Colombo is also enriched by its partnerships with Nations Trust Bank American Express, Hilton Colombo, Land Rover, Wineworld, Unilever – Vaseline, illycaffè, Ramani Fernando Salons, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Leo Burnett and MSLGroup, and Emerging Media – who believe in its vision and aspirations.

As swimwear continues to be a high-growth category in the global fashion industry, Swim Week Colombo provides a unique opportunity to Sri Lankan designers to venture into this growing category and reach an international audience. Armed with over 12 years of experience of impacting the fashion industry and a strategic partnership that showcases the best in swimwear production, Swim Week Colombo aims to make a global impact through a specific season.

For more information on runway shows, Trend Swim and other exclusive segments, visit the official Swim Week Colombo website (swimweekcolombo.com). Follow Swim Week Colombo on Facebook (www.facebook.com/swimweek.com), YouTube (Swim Week Colombo) and Instagram (@swimweekcolombo) for photos, videos and more. Use #swimweekcolombo to join the conversation.