Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs courtesy of FROKME
Making her mark by creating stylish affordable fashion, the founder of FROKME, Natalie Jayasuriya is filling a niche in the market. During the bleak times of Covid, Natalie’s hospitality business was caught between a rock and a hard place and soon she began exploring other options. Always a fashionista and forever under Colombo’s fashion spotlight, she decided to start a platform to support up and coming designers in Sri Lanka. She had no experience in the tech world so she brought together some leading heads in the field to create WWW.FROKME.COM – a curated multi-vendor fashion and lifestyle site.
Confined to the house during lockdown, Natalie found herself reflecting on her personal style and the styles she and her friends gravitated towards. “It became apparent that Colombo’s fashion market was lacking the kind of clothing that truly resonated with our tastes and preferences. There was a dearth of options that captured the essence of our personalities and individuality. The more I pondered this void, the stronger my desire grew to create something meaningful and authentic. I realized that maybe starting my own brand would fill this void, hence FROKME was born” she explains.
Natalie’s idea was to connect with like-minded individuals who shared her love for style and self-expression. “I wanted this brand to be a community, a space where people could find a piece of clothing that reflected their inner selves and made them feel empowered” she adds.
Explaining the name FROKME Natalie explains it is an acronym for “fearlessly rocking one’s kingdom”. “It is a fun play on words! It cleverly combines a bold statement of fearlessness and empowerment with a hint of lightheartedness.” Isn’t there a hint of a double entendre I ask her. “We can’t deny that “FROKME” definitely has a mischievous and cheeky undertone to it. It’s like a subtle wink to those who catch on to the playful wordplay. After all, fashion should be fun, and a touch of wit and humour only adds to the charm.” she responds.
Her new collection, ‘The Love Boat’ began with fabrics which Natasha discovered in the market and reminded her of an unforgettable experience in the south of France. “The colour palette
I chose reflected the vibrant shades of the ocean and summer; no collection is complete without a choice of colour and a variety of fabrics all harmoniously coming together to bring a sense of tropical allure to the collection. The silhouettes were inspired by the movement of the waves - flowing and graceful, with a touch of whimsy. I wanted the designs to capture the feeling of weightlessness, as if wearing them would make one feel like they were floating on the waves themselves.” she explains.
While there are many qualified fashion designers in Colombo there is an equal number who have dipped their toes into the market with no formal training. Natalie belongs to the latter. However she has not let that hold her back. “My sketching abilities may resemble that of a 3-year-old, but that hasn’t deterred me from pursuing my passion. Instead, I’ve adopted a different approach — I collect pictures of styles and designs that resonate with me, using them as inspiration to create unique combinations. I consider myself more a curator of my own aesthetic and not a designer of any sort. I have surrounded myself with some of the best in the business who guide me to bring manufacturing quality to my brand. Their guidance and mentorship has truly been a driving force behind the brand. While
I continue to sketch at my own pace and in my own style, I understand that practice will undoubtedly refine my abilities over time. Though workshops or classes are not part of my current plan, I remain open to the possibility of attending them in the future to gain more insights and techniques.”
Explaining how many collections she presents in an year Natalie says “In Sri Lanka’s tropical living where distinct seasons are absent, the fashion brand curates its collections to suit the climate and lifestyle.
