The world of fashion is very interesting and creative. However, there are still so many fashion stereotypes especially with regard to body shaping. Many people have a fixed mindset on what suits them and what does not. Plus sized individuals often have little or no choice when it comes to and thus never get the chance to express their individuality through clothes.apparel
If you are plus size, you may often feel left out as you have very little to nothing when it comes to shopping for clothes. It was a similar scenario for Adhisha when it came to finding a suitable fashion statement for herself a decade ago. However, being an innovative thinker and fashionista, Adhisha came up with the revolutionary idea of setting up a retail platform for plus sized individuals, breaking fashion stereotypes and realising that she couldn’t be the only one facing this issue.
In this interview with Youth Observer, the founder of Double XL, Adhisha Dahanayake speaks about her inspiring journey as an entrepreneur.
Q: When did you first get the idea to be an entrepreneur and what was the turning point that really made you go for it?
A: Being an entrepreneur isn’t something that I had aimed for. The brainchild behind our brand was born out of the fact that there was a gap in the market all those years ago. Which enabled us to really cater to the needs of the plus-sized community in Sri Lanka, including my own self, with a fashion-forward clothing line.
Q: What is the inspiration behind your brand?
A: Honestly, the simplest answer to this question is the fashion-forward individual, it’s the inspiration behind a lot of the collections we have and continue to have, so simply, our patrons are our inspiration.
Q: What’s the best and what’s the hardest part about having your own clothing line?
A: The best would be the satisfaction that comes with working on something I love, and something that brings me joy, I love working with young people and truly feel lucky to have this in my life.
On the flip side, I don’t consider things to be hard, I understand that having a brand comes with challenges and those challenges helps me take everything in my stride. However, in the recent past, the pandemic was challenging and pushed us to make decisions and helped us face fears head-on.
Q: What was your favourite subject in university or the one that has helped you the most in your business?
A: A subject that has continued to help me to this day is psychology, and I took this in my first year in university. It has helped me better understand my customers and patrons and be a better person.
Q: Do you have a mentor? How did you meet her or him and how does he help you?
A: My mentor will forever be my father. He is the reason I have come this far building a brand and as a sportswoman. He has always been my motivation and will continue to be.
Q: I’m sure every day is different, but is there one thing you do that helps you maintain a routine?
A: My routine and life take shape around my sports and me being physically fit, it has helped me be grounded and helped my mental health in ways I can’t even begin to describe. My journey as a sportsperson has made me a strong person mentally more than anything else.
Q: If you were to go back to the beginning would you do anything different?
A: Well, this is a tough question, I’d like to think I wouldn’t change anything that has happened in my life, each choice has made me who I am, so why change that?
Q: How do you unwind at night?
A: Ah.. well, I love music, my go-to is Yanni coupled with some self-care.
Q: What do you typically wear while you work?
A: Some may disagree, but black is my power colour! So, to work I usually wear black, but my absolute favourite combo of clothing is the classic blue jeans with a white shirt.
Q: What is your advice for young and upcoming women entrepreneurs who look forward to building a career in their area of interest?
A: My advice is to always innovate. Your originality is your strength and focus on that, be courageous in what you do, and never give up on something you really want.
