By Deborah Wadsworth Muthukuda | THE BUSINESS ICON JUNE EDITION
In the quiet elegance of a LOVI Ceylon showroom, where traditional handloom sarongs meet crisp modern tailoring, something profound is unfolding. What might, at first glance, appear to be just a luxury fashion brand is, in truth, a cultural movement one rooted in heritage, innovation, and a bold reimagining of national identity.
At the center of it is Asanka de Mel, the founder of LOVI Ceylon, a man whose life story reads like a map of layered purpose. Engineer, technologist, public policy thinker, and now, designer and cultural provocateur. In our conversation, what began as an exploration of clothing quickly turned into a deeper meditation on identity, ambition, and what it truly means to build something of meaning in Sri Lanka.
Q&A:
Q: You’ve become known for turning the sarong into a global fashion statement. Before we dive into Lovi Ceylon, tell us about your journey before fashion.
A: Absolutely. I grew up in Sri Lanka, went to St. Peter’s College in Colombo, and got accepted to the University of Moratuwa to study mathematics. But this was during the height of the civil war in the ’90s. The universities were closed, and several batches of students had already missed out. So, in 1995, I left for the United States, where I earned my undergraduate and Master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. Later, I also completed a Master’s in public policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Professionally, I spent about 20 years in the tech industry in Silicon Valley and New York, working with six startups and some larger corporations like Intel. I started as a programmer and eventually transitioned into operations, sales, and leadership roles. From writing codes to understanding the operations, my focus has been on innovation, both in the enterprise and consumer side. I’ve always been passionate about building things from scratch whether that’s a piece of software or a business model.
If I would’ve stayed back in Sri Lanka, my life would’ve been perhaps a little bit more stable. The realm of possibilities would be more stable, but the opportunities I had to learn would be different. I don’t think I would be any less happy. There’s a quote from Gandhi that says, “In the path I took to avoid, destiny found me”.
Q: That’s a major shift from Silicon Valley to Sri Lankan textiles. What brought you back?
A: During my time in public policy, a question took root in my mind: Why are some countries rich and why are some other countries poor? And given that there are almost 200 countries in the world and roughly more than 30 countries that are the size of Sri Lanka with post-colonial undertones, what can we learn from studying what has worked and what has not worked? And that was the study. And one of the things that was very clear is that any fast-growing nation has a goal and has a very strong identity of who they want to become. And that identity has elements, values that you value as a society. It wasn’t just a curiosity, it became a mission.
For example, do you value hard work? Do you value innovation? Do you value multiculturalism? Do you value authenticity? What do you value? I’m not making a judgment on whether this value is better than that value. But whatever the values, it has to be part of that identity. And people have to agree.
So, just to give you an example, all your life you’ve been hearing that we are a developing country, right? Developing towards what?
When I returned, it was with that lens: how do we build an identity that inspires development, ambition, and pride? That’s what drew me back to Sri Lanka, not just physically but emotionally. And I realized that culture and by extension, fashion could be a powerful starting point.
There have been two pathways for me. Seeing the progress of Lovi and to define the modern Sri Lankan clothing identity. Our vision is to define what Sri Lankan clothing will be in 2030, 2040 or 2050. Clothing is a way of expressing how I see the vision of identity. It’s rooted in our stories.
It’s more clear to me now to articulate this. But it was kind of like a fuzzy feeling I had in my mind. I had to work on this. I don’t exactly know what the answers are. But I trust that the path will appear.
What LOVI is doing is to remind you where you are from. it is to define the modern Sri Lankan clothing identity. And nothing has changed. I don’t think it will change either. Clothing is a way of expressing the way I see that vision of identity.
Q: So how did that realization lead to fashion? Specifically, the sarong?
A: Clothing is one of the most intimate forms of self-expression. It’s not just functional, it carries meaning. The sarong, in particular, is deeply rooted in our culture. Yet, it’s also something many people are hesitant to wear in public. That always puzzled me. Why are we uncomfortable wearing something that’s so authentically ours?
The answer, to me, lay in post-colonial psychology. We’ve been conditioned to view our traditional garments as less sophisticated than Western attire. The sarong became a symbol of what we were taught to outgrow. So I asked myself: Can we make the sarong aspirational again?
That’s how LOVI began.
Q: What were some of the first steps in reinventing the sarong?
A: We took a very deliberate approach. Our first sarong was called the Rugby Sarong. It came in a premium box modeled after an Apple product box. We added elements like pockets and belts, and tailored the design to give it structure. We used high-quality handloom fabrics.
It was about more than design. It was about repositioning the sarong in people’s minds. We wanted people to open the box and feel like they were holding something of value, something worth wearing with pride.
Q: Did your background in tech help shape your approach to fashion?
A: Without a doubt. In tech, one of the key principles is understanding the “use case”, how people use the product. I brought that same thinking to clothing. How does it feel to wear? How does it move? What does it say about you?
We also introduced a set of core values at LOVI: authenticity, innovation, inclusivity, craft, and grace. These guide not only our design but how we operate. “Craft” stands for human-made. “Grace” speaks to timelessness, elegance, and gratitude. Every piece we design is meant to feel like it belongs, like it tells a story.
Q: How do you bring this sense of identity and value to your team?
A: I lead with conversation and shared purpose. I talk to my team the same way I’m talking to you now. My role is to help them understand that we’re not just making clothes, we’re shaping a narrative. And when people believe in the vision, it reflects in the work.
We’ve been doing this for almost nine years, and the impact is visible. Fashion schools are using LOVI as a case study. Grooms are wearing sarongs proudly at their weddings. People are choosing the sarong not just for cultural obligation, but out of personal pride. That’s progress.
Q: Let’s talk about production. Is everything made in Sri Lanka?
A: Yes, everything is designed and manufactured locally. However, Sri Lanka doesn’t produce cotton or thread, so we import those materials. But most of our fabric is woven here, especially the handloom cotton. We try to stay as local as possible, not just to showcase what we can do, but also to learn how to do it better.
This was all new territory for me. I had never worked with a physical product before. It required a lot of learning. But it’s been deeply rewarding.
Q: How has LOVI been received internationally?
A: We’re still in the early stages globally. But the response from the Sri Lankan diaspora has been overwhelmingly positive. They’ve been incredible ambassadors wearing our garments, sharing our story, and helping us reach new audiences.
One highlight was when we dressed athletes for the Olympics. That moment really validated what we’re doing. It showed that there is space for Sri Lankan culture on the world stage.
We have something great to share with the world!
Q: What challenges have you faced in building the brand?
A: Many. Scaling production, managing pricing, dealing with unpredictable events, COVID, the Easter attacks, financial crisis. Startups are tough. I’ve been in them for 25 years, and it’s still nerve-wracking. There are nights I wake up, heart pounding, wondering what I’m doing.
But over time, you learn to manage the fear. I’m loyal to ideas. If an idea finds me, I feel responsible to pursue it, regardless of whether it succeeds or fails. That’s what drives me.
Q: It seems LOVIis about much more than fashion. It feels like a movement. So what’s next for LOVI?
A: It is. It’s about confidence. Identity. Nation-building. If we want to become a wealthy nation, we first have to believe that we can be. And belief begins with imagination. Can you imagine being ten times richer? Can you picture what you’d wear, how you’d feel?
Fashion is one way to feed that imagination. If we can get people to wear a sarong and feel proud, feel powerful -we’ve already changed something important.
We’re still evolving. I want the product to mature more before we go fully global. There’s more to explore, more value to add. I’m not in a rush. This isn’t just about growth, it’s about depth.
My long-term hope is that LOVI continues to be a source of pride and inspiration for Sri Lankans, and a way for us to share our identity with the world.
