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August 22, 2023
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In a quiet corner of Dubai, a Sri Lankan designer is quietly rewriting the narrative of island talent on the world’s most coveted runways. Chathuri Samaraweera, the visionary behind the label Anaya, joined us for an exclusive conversation about her extraordinary path from corporate boardrooms to the front row of Paris Fashion Week.
This is not a story of hustle, but of deliberate grace, unwavering vision, and a deep-rooted belief in bringing Sri Lanka’s quiet brilliance to the global fashion conversation. Over 14 years, with a starting capital of just $1,000, Chathuri has built a brand that speaks softly yet commands attention. Here, in her own words, is how she’s taking Sri Lanka to the world, one refined silhouette at a time.
Chathuri’s journey begins not in a design studio, but in the structured world of finance. After completing her O-Levels in Colombo, she moved to Australia for her final year of high school, then earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance from Monash University, graduating in 2000 with a double major. Returning to Sri Lanka, she joined Nestlé as a management trainee, rising to assistant brand manager before transitioning to Coca-Cola as marketing services manager in 2002.
Yet beneath the spreadsheets and brand strategies, a creative pulse beat steadily. “I was always sketching, making my own clothes,” she reflects. “But I knew true mastery required formal training.” That conviction led her to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, one of the top fashion schools in the U.S. She graduated Magna Cum Laude, immersing herself in both the technical rigor of design and the commercial realities of the industry.Her early career in L.A. included roles as assistant designer and designer, culminating at the prestigious BCBG Max Azria.
“It was there I truly understood the ecosystem,” she says. “From concept to consumer, every decision matters.” Family obligations brought her back to Sri Lanka in 2005, where she joined MAS Holdings as Head of Design, overseeing collections for global giants like Victoria’s Secret, Nike, and Adidas. “What many don’t realize,” she notes, “is that manufacturers often contribute 20 to 30 percent of a brand’s design and R&D. I was bridging continents Colombo, New York, Los Angeles translating trends into production.”
In 2010, after the birth of her daughter Anaya in California and a move to Dubai, Chathuri received the Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award from the British Council and British Fashion Council a pivotal affirmation. By late 2011, she launched Anaya from her Dubai apartment. “It began with $1,000 and a clear vision,” she recalls. “The brand is my daughter’s name, and it embodies strength, femininity, and empowerment.”Anaya debuted locally in Dubai, expanding within three years to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.
In 2022, she presented at New York Fashion Week, securing retail placement in the city. Paris followed not as a full runway show initially, but through an exclusive showroom where European buyers discovered her work. “I chose to strengthen our presence in the GCC,” she explains. “It’s where the brand resonates most deeply.”The collection is divided into two refined pillars: ready-to-wear evening gowns, sized and priced between $1,000 and $2,000 for accessibility and universality, and a couture line bespoke, handcrafted, and shown in Paris. “Couture allows absolute creative freedom,” she says. “It’s where artistry meets individuality.”
One question lingers for any Sri Lankan designer: how do you honor your roots without limiting your reach? Chathuri has contemplated this deeply. “I attempted production in Sri Lanka twice,” she shares. “But with fabrics sourced from Europe and Turkey, and the need for daily oversight, Dubai became the natural hub. Everything is produced here, in close proximity to my showroom.”Yet Sri Lanka is never far from her heart or her future collections. “Ready-to-wear demands universality,” she explains.
“Clients want elegance they can wear from Dubai to Paris without explanation. But couture? That’s where heritage can breathe.”She envisions a forthcoming couture capsule inspired by Sri Lanka not through overt traditionalism, but through elevated interpretation. “Imagine Ceylon sapphires set into modern silhouettes, batik reimagined as abstract texture, Kandyan craftsmanship distilled into contemporary form. One-of-a-kind pieces that whisper heritage while speaking a global language.”
To emerging Sri Lankan designers many of whom dazzle at local fashion weeks with bold cultural statements Chathuri offers measured counsel. “Preserve your unique handwriting,” she advises. “But design for the global woman. She exists in Colombo, Dubai, London. She appreciates heritage, but she wears universality.”She observes a common misstep: over-emphasizing cultural specificity at the expense of wearability.
“We are proud of our handlooms, beadwork, and motifs and rightly so. But to build a sustainable brand, one must transcend the niche. Even Bollywood has evolved beyond regionalism. The world seeks refinement, not relic.”Her approach is not dilution, but distillation. “Use Sri Lanka as inspiration, not instruction. Let it inform, not define.”
Looking ahead, Chathuri’s vision is one of quiet expansion. “I am deeply committed to couture,” she says. “I will return to Paris each season, pushing creative boundaries.” She also plans to extend Anaya into a lifestyle offering; handbags, shoes, and jewelry designed in harmony with her gowns. “A client should leave with the complete vision,” she notes. “The dress, the clutch, the earring each piece in conversation.”
And that Sri Lanka-inspired couture collection? “It is already in development,” she confirms with a smile in her voice. “It will be a celebration; subtle, sophisticated, and unmistakably elevated.”
Chathuri Samaraweera does not chase trends or follow what others do. Instead, she builds; slowly, deliberately, beautifully. From a Colombo childhood to a Dubai atelier, from corporate precision to couture poetry, she has carried Sri Lanka with her, not as baggage, but as quiet strength.
For a nation rich in craft, gemstones, and creative spirit, her message is clear: the world is ready. Not for caricature, but for refinement. Not for tradition preserved in amber, but for heritage reimagined in motion.Sri Lanka’s next chapter in global fashion will not be written in bold strokes, but in the subtle curve of a sleeve, the glint of a sapphire, the whisper of silk against skin.
And Chathuri Samaraweera is leading the way one elegant step at a time. Anaya is available at select boutiques across the GCC, through private appointments in Dubai, and via exclusive Paris showrooms.
Follow @anayaofficial for updates on the forthcoming Sri Lanka-inspired couture collection.
Interview conducted exclusively for SatynMag.com What resonates most with you, Chathuri’s global vision or her call for refined heritage?
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