News & Articles
News & Articles
The Federation of Asian Master Tailors has recognised the work of a Sri Lankan master tailor, Chaandana Wijesekera, for his contributions to bespoke tailoring in the country as well as in the region and conferred a rare honour on him.
The industry organisation, which includes all major custom-tailoring associations in Asia, conferred the Golden Scissor award on Wijesekera who heads Bristol Tailors, a family-owned old established tailoring house in Sri Lanka.
Wijesekera was also given a life-time achievement award at the just concluded 26th congress of the Federation during a five-day session at the Sunee Grand Hotel and Convention Centre in Ubon, Thailand.
The Sri Lanka Master Tailors’ Association received membership of the Asian Federation of Master Tailors (AFMT) during the leadership of Wijesekera in 1998. Since then, Sri Lankan members have regularly attended annual sessions of the federation to share their experiences.
In 2013, Wijesekera secured Sri Lanka’s membership of the World Federation of Master Tailors too. He has also been a judge of annual tailoring competitions of the Federation. He has conducted lectures for students at the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka.
At this year’s congress in Thailand, Sri Lanka was represented by Wijesekera as well as SLMTA President Lakshman Guruge (Pettah Tailors, Dalugama) and treasurer Thikshana Udagedara (Linton Tailors, Kandy).
Delegation from Sri Lanka is attending a convention of the World Federation of Master Tailors (WFMT) in Taipei, Taiwan. The Sri Lankan team for the 37th convention of the WFMT is headed by Chaandana Wijesekera of the old-established Bristol Tailors. The convention is an occasion for leading craftsmen in tailoring from around the world to share their experiences and expertise. Through this network, Sri Lanka has drawn the expertise of internationally renowned master tailors to train local tailors.
Sri Lanka’s delegation left on 30 July for the convention that ends in the first week of August.
An old-established tailoring outfit which was burnt down during the July 1983 ethnic riots, Bristol Tailors, marked its 75th anniversary earlier this month.
Located in Colombo Fort, the establishment was destroyed when mobs set fire to their colonial-era heritage building at the York Street – Bristol Street junction, reducing it to ashes. Over 100 businesses located within the building were completely gutted.
Bristol Tailors Managing Partner, Chaandana Wijesekera said, they rebuilt the company from scratch and have provided direct employment to over 50 people and become a key service provider to Sri Lanka’s police and armed forces as well as private sector institutions. The company celebrated its 75th anniversary on March 1 by honouring its founders with a series of religious services. .