Capturing Culture: Charini Suriyage, Fashion Designer
Fashion was never part of a carefully mapped-out plan for Charini Suriyage. Creativity was always present, but becoming a designer was not necessarily the destination. Instead, she describes herself as someone who has always questioned the norm, thought differently, and embraced life as it unfolded. Today, Charini is much more than a designer. She is a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur, and someone who values meaningful relationships - approaching both life and her clientele with a personal touch. Constantly balancing the many roles life brings, she strives to be present in each of them while navigating the beautiful chaos of building a brand, raising a family, and growing as an individual. Charini believes that success is not only about what you build, but also about the people, experiences, and memories you create along the way.
Walk us through a day in your studio - how does an idea start and travel to fabric?
Everybody who knows me knows I work quite hard. I start my day very early, and every day brings a different challenge. I need to juggle different responsibilities and shift gears depending on my main focus for the day. Some days it is family, and most days it is work. I like life being a challenge. My days start so early that by midday, I often feel like I’ve already done a full day’s work. In a way, I borrow time by starting before everyone else.
You often draw inspiration from architecture, history, and nature. Where do you usually find ideas, and how do they turn into a full collection? For instance, with your new collection?
I am fascinated by Sri Lankan history, art, and culture, and I feel it is my duty as a designer to bring that Sri Lankan-ness to the world in a way people can understand and connect with. It needs to feel relevant to a younger generation rather than becoming something that belongs only to the past. Whether it is our identity, culture, or nature, I want to reinterpret it in a contemporary way that people will be proud to wear. I think it is my responsibility to do that.
Your work has a distinct signature - flowing silhouettes, delicate draping, and prints - what led you to that, and how do you keep experimenting within that style?
I think it comes from being from the architecture faculty at the University of Moratuwa before specialising in fashion. I have always thought of clothing as a building around the body, but one that moves. The way you drape creates different spaces between the body and the garment. There is fluidity and movement, but it is really that in-between space and movement that interests me the most.
With Charini Stories, your ready-to-wear line, how do you decide what goes from runway to retail? Are these re-edited pieces or separate designs entirely?
Charini Stories is almost a completely different segment. It is a brand extension that allows me to scale the brand and take storytelling to a wider audience.
We create many one-of-a-kind pieces through the main label, but Charini Stories allows me to reach more people while still offering something meaningful.
The pieces are limited edition and carry a story of their own. It is definitely an extension of the brand and a way to expand what we do.
If your design aesthetic were a feeling instead of a look, what would that feeling be?
A feeling of bold confidence, individuality, and effortless power.
How do you see your work influencing or contributing to fashion beyond Sri Lanka?
For me, it has always been about taking Sri Lankan storytelling to an international audience in a way that feels modern, relevant, and globally refined. In many ways, we have already begun that journey. When I launched my lingerie brand through London Fashion Week Estethica, it became an opportunity to reinterpret Sri Lankan craftsmanship elements such as beerulu lace and batik for a global platform. I believe storytelling in fashion does not always have to come through print. It can be expressed through craft, texture, silhouette, or heritage techniques reimagined in a contemporary way. What matters deeply to me is how Sri Lanka is experienced and understood beyond its borders. We are a country rich in culture, craftsmanship, history, and extraordinary natural beauty, but also one shaped by resilience and lived experiences. Fashion gives us a powerful way to share those stories with the world.
When people see your work, what’s one thing you hope they understand about you as a designer?
I hope people see that I am contributing to change within Sri Lankan fashion - whether through storytelling, craftsmanship, or a different way of thinking by shifting the consumer's mindset. More than anything, I want my work to reflect that women do not have to fit into one definition. They can be strong and feminine, bold and soft, confident and evolving. If my designs help women feel empowered and more confident in themselves, then I feel I have contributed something meaningful.
What does success look like to you now, compared to when you first started?
When I first started, it was all about the thrill and adrenaline rush, and I still have that. But today, there is a much greater sense of responsibility. The brand has grown, and it is no longer about what I want to do on a particular day. It is about what the brand needs to achieve its purpose. That shift has made the work far more meaningful. Success is no longer just about external recognition. It is about the meaning the brand can create for its audience.
No limits - what would your dream collection be?
I cannot think of an ultimate collection without storytelling. My dream would be to tell the story of Sri Lanka through design, from the very beginning. I am already exploring parts of that story, but I have not yet figured out how to capture its full essence in a single collection. If there were no limits, that would be it: capturing the essence of Sri Lanka and telling it through one powerful story.
When you look back at your journey so far, what has fashion taught you about yourself?
Fashion has taught me that everything is temporary. Because of that, we need to enjoy the moment and do our best to make the most of it. If I could speak to my younger self, I would simply say: you figured out quite early what you wanted, and you've done okay.
If you could send a piece back in time to your younger self, which one would it be - and what would she say seeing it?
Probably a hand-drawn piece. I think she would look at it and simply say, “No way.”
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Charini's designs can be explored at the CHARINI flagship store at 55 Deanston Place, Colombo 3, and at Charini Stories, located on Level 2 of One Galle Face Mall.
