There was an abundance of glamour and news making fashion when Harshini Nadesan invited her many friends and some family in the first of staggered two parties, at the Coffee Lounge of the Colombo Hilton Hotel. There was much colour and animated conversation among old friends and new, in the afternoon ambience of sunlight and music with the sun streaming in through the glass panels which looks out into the pool with black and white swans floating in perfect tranquility.

Of course with Harshini always in the fashion spotlight she set

the lead in a saree in a pale biege which was streaks in grey eye brown to make a dramatic foil to the design of orange roses studded in sequins of the same colour. There was a serrated border in the orange sequins which also made the straps of her blouse. An attial necklace and drop earrings made the picture complete. There were only a few saree wearers through, with most opting for ethnic styles or for western wear. The salwar kameez Rukmani Maharaja wore was in a grey, with large roses in shades of pink and white making the top, with a strip of pink running along the centre of the long sleeve. The dupatta in grey was lined in the printed fabric and edged in pink. A beautiful necklace and ear drops in a grey hued jade was the perfect complimentary touch. A trouser suit on the lines of a salwar Badhra Wijesena wore was in black printed in white. For contrast and a touch of colour she wore a striking necklace of red stones and she carried a red handbag. Black and white also featured in the dress Sharika Weeraratne wore in a somewhat bold contemporary print. The dress was bare shouldered, except for spagetti straps and the skirt on a flare fell in handkerchief points. Black featured with white in the sleeveless top Gowrie De Silva wore with denims. A pretty shade of light green made the top of Zarina Raheem’s dress which had a printed skirt in shades of toffee and grey. There was more colour to counteract the blacks and whites in the outfits Chamari Jayaratne and Emerald Reddy wore. Chamari’s dress combined a print in pinks, brown and pale green with the wide cummerband effect in a simple gold. The long sherwani style Emerald wore was in a shot sunset orange in silk. The trousers were in the same colour, and for jewellery she favoured an ethnic necklace of mettalic silver, with bangles and hoop earrings to match.