Startup Dunedin runs a yearly Student Pitch Competition, where students with a growing start-up or side hustle can win up to $5000 for their mahi. As we look forward to this year's Student Pitch Competition, Critic Te Ārohi decided to check in on the progress of last year's co-champion, Sewlutions Studio by Sanda.
Yasomali Sandaruwani moved to Dunedin in May 2024, after a 14-year fashion career in Sri Lanka, where she worked with powerhouse brands such as Patagonia, Nike, and Calvin Klein. Sanda has two children, and moving here, she noticed a crucial gap in the market: children grow fast, and replacement clothing in New Zealand is expensive. Sanda’s solution – adjustable childrenswear. And so Sewlutions was born.
With her experience in the apparel industry, Sanda is “enthusiastic about the possibility of relocating and applying [her] expertise in this market”, and has already brought her concept to life. Last year, she developed a clothing collection called ‘Built to Grow, Made to Last’. It was a playful, colourful collection of childrenswear, with sections able to be adjusted through zips and buttons. With this product, Sanda graduated with her Master's in Fashion at Otago Polytechnic, and nabbed two cash prizes at the Student Pitch competition, one of which for Sewlutions being named 'Best Emerging Startup.' Clearly, there was a future to be had in adaptive childrenswear.
Sanda told Critic she had a philosophy: “Slow and steady wins the race.” After she graduated, she was granted post-study work visas for a further 3 years, and is determined to squeeze this time for all its worth. She has released a new logo and Facebook page for her registered business, and is "actively working on establishing a social media presence and a pop-up store", so keep an eye out for that. All the while, she hones her craft working on the SuperGrans sewing team, and in a "renowned fashion retailer."
Despite other offers, Sanda was pleased with her choice to study at Otago Polytechnic, citing the Polytechnic's focus on sustainability as an important draw. Sustainability sits at the heart of her mahi, past and present. Already she has been impressed with children's clothing, but her "aim is to offer a comprehensive range of sustainable solutions." Through research, she has identified further market gaps she hopes to squeeze into. These include adjustable breastfeeding tops, waist-adjusting tops for those experiencing weight fluctuations, and magnetic strips for elderly people who struggle with buttons.
Sanda also appreciated the “affordability” of the Polytech, as well as the shorter programme duration of only 12 months, and its “esteemed reputation within the fashion industry”. And, as a student whose native language is not English, Sanda said that the “exceptional and personalised support” from her supervisors was instrumental to her studies.
Sanda reminded us that when we finally manage to graduate from Otago, we won't automatically reach the summit of the job market. Instead, we'll have another imposing mountain to climb. But with all things: study, work, and ambition – it's a marathon, not a sprint. Sewlutions might still be in the pipeline, but it is unmistakably still progressing, and Yasomali Sandaruwani is eager to continue to “explore opportunities within the fashion industry in New Zealand”. Watch this space – there’s more to fashion in Ōtepoti than meets the eye.
