A core memory that holds a special place in my heart is using my mother’s ‘Singer’ sewing machine to make hand cut dresses with my sisters. We didn’t know much about design, but we used our creativity to turn our imagination into reality and rejoiced in the blissfulness of home made clothes. It was an integral part of building our girlhood, being exposed to beautiful textiles growing up in Sri Lanka. I would watch my Aunty employ local women to create costumes, following her into busy lanes of the fabric markets in Colombo, engulfed by the variety of vendors. I could spend hours marveling at the vibrancy of the colours, the swiftness of their hand movements on the warp and weft, and the zest that sparkled their eyes. 

This was a part of my childhood that I left behind as I moved to Sydney to pursue a different life. The passion was never forgotten, but the longing to return to the comfort and solace of creating designs out of fabric was one that lingered long in my heart. It was when we moved to Byron Bay for a quieter life and when I had my children, that a wave of change took me on a journey of acceptance, creativity, and purpose. Like everything else in life, change manifested itself in multiple forms in this adventure. As I learned to be a mum while settling into a small village in the hinterland, days passed by through observation and reflection.

I would spend time taking in the beautiful scenery of the ocean and our small village, reflecting upon parts of myself that have always lived through seasons of change. One such part held on strong from my childhood - the desire to be creative and express myself through the medium of art and to make a change in other people’s lives. This is how Sahana came to fruition, in the simplicity of moments of solace. As challenging as it was to take the leap, it fulfilled a huge part of me as a woman while I cared for my family. 

From these humble beginnings, Sahana’s journey continues, thanks to our wonderful community of customers and weavers.

Inosha ~ Designer