The Oak Room of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel took on a new aura when Rohan Karr, the General Manager invited the elite of Colombo, to an evening of indulgence at the annual seasonal party. The walls of the ballroom was decked in drapes of a pleasing blue and pale gold with flickering candles in candlebra adding to the elegance of the royal surroundings. There certainly was a lavish spread and the best of wines and champagne that would have been a pleasure for any palette however discriminating the taste. To enhance the glamour and dazzling glitter of the event the guests came in a striking range of styles which could have made fashion news anywhere in the world. The most sophisticated outfit was worn by Ramali Wijewardene. Provocatively cut into a deep neckline, the black dress was empire waisted and trimmed at the armholes and at the waist in a shimmering pink ribbon. A jet choker cascaded in onyx beads. Yolande Aluvihare Holms was in a floating white kaftan like top to which she brought drama with a wide band of gold beads with a pendent motif to emulate a necklace and large hoop earrings. A pouch bag in coppery gold picked up the colour of the work at the neckline. Sarees that scored were those worn by Rohini (Chocs) Yoheswaram, Kamala Rockwood, Sharmini Wettumuni, Sunethra Bandaranaike and Sharmila Karr, besides many others, including those worn by Tharika Goonetilleke, Manisha Fernando and Sadhana Vickrantha, and Anushka Abeyratne. To describe all these would need more than just this page, but exceptional was the embroidery in a design of clusters of large roses in deep peach, off white with the leaves in shaded olive green. Sharmila’s saree was in a leopard skin print in mustard and black on white, she wore with a black blouse and long eardrops.