The Story behind Colombo’s hottest New Fashion Label C.h.a.r.l.e.n.e. by Charlene Thuring from AOD
The vibrantly coloured, discreetly patterned and beautifully crafted garments by C.h.a.r.l.e.n.e. has been all the rage in Colombo since the brand’s launch a few weeks back. What’s so great about C.h.a.r.l.e.n.e.? And how did it get there? Let’s hear it from ‘the Couturist’ behind the label, Charlene Thuring.
“I studied fashion at the Academy of Design (AOD). Before the opportunity to study fashion at AOD, I was a girl with no dreams. Yes, I was artistic and yes, I was creative and extremely enthusiastic about colour and form. But I had no clue about how to make use it” Charlene says recalling the very beginning of her relationship with fashion. “I loved studying fashion at AOD. My lecturers like Tiziano Picogna from Italy, Mrs. Damayanti and Dr. Asoka made it inspiring! I became this kid who had no clue what to do with my creativity, to a knowledgeable design buff !” Charlene didn’t stop at her education at AOD. With her education as the basis for a career in fashion she started gaining professional experience in fashion as a technical designer for Linea Aqua of MAS Holdings. “At Linea Aqua I got the opportunity to work with the Victoria’s Secret Swim Design team themselves! I can’t explain how amazing the experience I gained working with the New York Swim Crew was! With that I took my experience/ further into my career and became a Senior Fashion Designer”.
Thuring says that this work experience had a huge impact on forming C. h. a. r. l. e. n. e. with industrial standards. “Designing takes a lot of effort, thought and special attention to detail; and this is what I learnt from AOD and Linea Aqua. At Linea Aqua, I designed for high end brands such as Calvin Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Eddie Bauer, Lands End, H&M and many more and I know how much of care and attention we put into these beautiful designs that would never hit the markets of Sri Lanka. So, I wanted to bring that to our country.”
Charlene Thuring has big, yet palpable plans for the future of her brand – It’s all about intelligent fashion business.
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