Work wear by Avirate

Avirate, the first premium women’s clothing brand in Sri Lanka, officially launched its work wear collection on 1 January 2013. The retailer recognises that women are playing an increasingly important role in the Sri Lankan economy and are the backbone of several of the most economically important sectors of the country. Further to that, they realise the demands of the fashion conscious working woman and is proud to present a collection that is both official and trendy.

To talk about the importance of dressing formally and how it impacts productivity and one’s overall image, Avirate has identified a couple of distinguished and imminent businesswomen who are also commended for their sense of fashion.

The second Star@Work is Rozanna

Q: Rozanna, tell us what you do.

A: I’m a lighting design consultant and my work involves dealing with very high profile clients.

Q: Can you describe your work environment?

A: I work with all the top people in this country. I design lighting options for hotels, restaurants and factories. I’m into decorative lighting as well as industrial lighting, but my main focus is decorative lighting so I deal with a very high profile client base.

Q: Do you work with a large team?

A: Yes, I work with a large group of people, and have about 40 people working under me. We have a design team and an electrical team.

Q: How long have you been in this business?

A: For the last 12 years    

Q: How are people generally attired when they come to work?

A: I’m very concerned about how they present themselves at work and to be very honest, that is something I have paid attention to from the start. I ensure my staff is dressed very well because it makes a big difference in life and certainly in the business world. How you dress matters and is as important as your personality and that in turn impacts how you’re going to do your job. Also, people accept you when you are a well-dressed person, whether you’re a girl, woman or man. It’s the first impression you give your client, so it makes a big difference.

Q: Is it just you who meets clients mainly or do you have a team that meets clients?

A: I do have a set of people but the first client visit is done by me. My clients feel confident when I visit them because I have been in business for a long time and I have a good relationship with them. I make the visit very personal.

Q: How much importance would you place on dressing well to work on a scale of one to 10?

A: A ten out of ten. The first time you visit a client, dressing well makes a huge difference because it’s how you present yourself that makes you see the world in a positive light. A woman especially should not be shabbily dressed. Style, colour, everything matters.

Q: I’m sure your high profile clients have a certain expectation of you?

A: Yes! And I have to keep up if I want to gain respect from them. People want to make sure they meet somebody who can create confidence in them. Someone beautifully dressed and well-presented can achieve that – they can build confidence in themselves, build confidence in their client and those around you.

Q: What do you tell your employees?



A: In life, it’s a very simple thing – to be happy, you must first take care of yourself. When you look after yourself you automatically embrace the world, so it really depends on how much you love yourself. If you love yourself, you take care of yourself.

I always tell my employees you don’t need to have lots of clothes, just be presentable, dress beautifully; it makes a huge difference for yourself and for those who come in contact with you. Also, they see me well dressed all the time which creates an impact on them – they see me as a role model!

Q: Please describe your ideal outfit to work

A: A business suit is ideal for a presentation or an important discussion. However, I also like to dress very elegantly. An elegant dress would be really nice too.

Q: From what you have seen, what’s your opinion on our formal wear?

A: I think they are absolutely beautiful! We don’t have many stores in Sri Lanka to shop in and you are one of the stores that have what I want – good styles, nice fabric, the colours etc. And I’m glad there’s colour because people tend to feel confident in black and your stores have changed that misconception.

The great thing about Avirate is that you have colour to go with all types of skin which is very important, not forgetting the finish of the product. When I wear something from Avirate, I know I’m not wearing something common and that’s important for a businesswoman. My colleagues always comment on my Avirate pieces. I think you’re the best store around and you should keep up the good work!   

Q: How do you feel about someone we want to feature for our Stars@Work?

A: I’m really happy about it and I’m proud to be an Avirate woman!

Our third Star@Work is Bonita.

Q: Bonita, tell us what you do.

A: I’m the general manager for a tech company that develops and provides software solutions for the travel trade.

Q: Can you describe your work environment and how people are generally attired?

A: In my department, I come across a section of people. Some are very well dressed some are not; some wear pantsuits and dresses, and some in skirts and shirts, but all officially attired.

Q: How do you feel about being chosen as one of Avirate’s Stars@Work?

A: I am thrilled and really honoured! I am also a frequent customer at Avirate and my wardrobe is filled with clothes from Avirate. I love Avirate! The new store behind the Dutch Hospital is lovely! The staff is so friendly and helpful. Even the layout of the Colombo 7 and Dutch Hospital stores are amazing. I drop in three times a month as it’s close to my daughter’s school and every time I drop in, I pick up a minimum of three dresses at least.

I just love the fact that Avirate is an affordable one stop shop for ladies. Even the lingerie is amazing!

Q: How much of an impact does attire make on your first impression of people?

A: I believe that dressing smart to work is important and has to be all the time. I play an important role in the company, meeting people all the time and liaising with customers and also developing business. Even on Fridays, which are casual and dress down days, I still believe in going well dressed to work.

Q: How does your perception of someone who is dressed well impact your overall impression of them in the hiring process?

A: I will be very impressed as the youth nowadays seem to like dressing casually. It’s hard to account for sudden meetings when they are not dressed well. Therefore it helps when I see someone who has come for an interview dressed well, it’s also refreshing. The youth need to understand that dressing well to work is important.

Q: Personally, how has dressing smart helped in your career? Could you give us an instance?

A: When you are dressed smartly, people look at you differently and give you more attention. First impressions are also important and count, as they go a long way. Also, at the spur of the moment, when my boss has a meeting and suddenly asks me to come with him/her to meet CEOs and MDs of other companies, it’s easy as I am always well dressed and it’s just a matter of picking up my laptop and going.

Q: Describe your perfect outfit to work.

A: Pantsuits! As of late, it’s changed to dresses. My ideal pantsuit would be blue pants and a white long sleeved shirt. It’s simple and classy and very easy to put on. My ideal dress would be a nice short shift dress, preferably mustered coloured.

Q: What are your thoughts on Avirate work wear?

A: Nice and classy, love the designs and colours. Avirate has done a good job with their range of garments and I am happy to see and know that Avirate is now bringing out work wear. More pantsuits would be appreciated, as us ladies find it the most comfortable outfit to wear to work.