Written by AMULYA MISRA for THE DESIGN COLLECTIVE
A deep-seated love for the beach translated into a mission to launch a brand that took that admiration forward for both Rukshi and Binara Seneviratne. Thus began the journey of RUMPUNCH in 2015.
After receiving raving reviews about her graduate collection at the London Graduate Fashion Week in 2014, the designer felt compelled to follow her island spirit and launch RUMPUNCH. A brand dedicated to swimwear, resort wear, leisurewear and athletic wear, their vibrant designs are full of the energy of the beach and the sea. Infusing vibrant tropical colours and prints into chic, versatile and exotic designs, the brand has been dominating the Sri Lankan beach vibes ever since its inception.
Therefore, the release of their latest collection was sure to drum up excitement amongst their ardent followers. We sat down for a quick chat with Rukshi to get some behind-the-scenes information about this resort wear line that is exclusively available at The Design Collective Store .
What was your inspiration for the resort wear collection?
The resort wear collection has been inspired by the bohemian island spirit. The silhouettes are free-flowing and are accompanied by vibrant prints that capture that boho feel.
How has it been handling the brand with a newborn baby?
It certainly has been very tough. To be honest, I planned my life as soon as I got to know that I was pregnant till about this year July. I wanted everything planned accordingly. My team only had to follow the whole process that I had scheduled. From July onwards my plan was to come back to work but it clearly didn’t work because of the pandemic. Although we planned everything, as you know when you have a baby, you can’t really plan your life. From July till now, it has been a rollercoaster but I have managed to do what I needed to. I may have to work late, stay up late and function on no sleep and so on but I always manage to get it done.
What were the challenges you’ve faced with the current COVID situation?
This virus has had an impact on every aspect of our lives. Of course sales for few months went down but to be honest it is like a new phase everyone has gone through. However, now that a lot of people are traveling within Sri Lanka, business has picked up again. Although traveling abroad is not an option right now, travel within this island paradise has seen a spark when it comes to sales.