Threaded With Purpose: A Q&A With Shivajothi Designer Sujitha

In a fashion world dominated by mass production and rapid trends, Vancouver-based designer Sujitha is taking a different route—one that’s personal, powerful, and refreshingly slow. As the founder of Shivajothi, a couture-inspired brand where every piece is handmade by Sujitha herself, she’s redefining what it means to build a fashion label from the ground up. Rooted in her Sri Lankan heritage and driven by values of sustainability and self-expression, Sujitha’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and unapologetic individuality. We caught up with the designer to talk about identity, craft, and what it really takes to defy the rules and do fashion your own way. —Noa Nichol

Shivajothi is rooted in both your Sri Lankan heritage and your Canadian experience. How do those dual identities influence your design philosophy and approach to gender-inclusive fashion?

Some of the most interesting garments I’ve seen in my life were born out of objectively simple changes made to an existing standard. What I try to do is pinpoint what I feel are the most aesthetically exciting aspects of clothing from my heritage and inject those elements into the western tailoring that drew me to fashion. The pleating and draping applied to my garments is emblematic of my srilankan roots and I have spent my career attempting to fuse those techniques into tailored pieces in a way that feels elevating and authentic to both. I believe that by pairing the fluidity and femininity of these techniques with typically more masculine coded western garments creates a sort of middle ground that allows a broader range of the gender spectrum to engage with my work.

In an era where fast fashion dominates, Shivajothi stands out for its commitment to slow, small-batch production. Why is that intentionality so important to you—and to the future of fashion?

Intentionality in what we consume is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. I feel like so much art and culture now is algorithmically served to us. The practice of taking your time and discovering something that truly speaks to you seems to have been disincentivized and replaced with simply being shown what you should like. This has had a negative effect on almost all artistic mediums but I feel fashion is uniquely susceptible in an industry historically guided by celebrity trend setters. Designers feel compelled to create things they think might trend on social media instead of taking chances. Music lovers dig through crates of vinyl to find songs they’ve never heard before and cinema buffs scour internet archives for films they’ve never seen before. I think fashion needs more of that, people searching for new and exciting designers that speak to their personal sense of style. My hope is that showing intentionality in my design philosophy will inspire people to act with more intentionality in their consumption .

You’ve been praised for your unique take on gender-neutral clothing—softening tailored silhouettes with intricate pleats and seamwork. What message are you hoping to send with your reinterpretation of traditional genderless design?

Injecting feminine flare into a piece of clothing traditionally found in the men’s section is somehow still considered a bold or edgy statement and that honestly shocks me. I see fashion reporters describing a female model in a blazer as daring and it reminds me just how gender segregated the fashion world still is.The message is simple. Wear what makes you feel like the most authentic version of yourself. When experimenting and trying to define your style do not waste any time worrying about what section of the store you’re in. The segregation of fashion does a disservice to the art form and only serves to hold designers back from true innovation.

How has the current shift in global trade and tariffs impacted your view on “Made in Canada” fashion, and what role do you think Canadian designers can play in this evolving landscape?

Now more than ever, the responsibility falls on boutiques, stockists, sales agents, grant providers and stylists to spotlight and collaborate with Canadian designers. There is absolutely no shortage of talent in the Canadian fashion scene and this shift provides a perfect incentive to platform our home grown emerging designers. My view of “Made in Canada” fashion has always been the same. More focus needs to be directed to the wealth of innovative and accomplished designers here in Canada. For a long time there has been an air of legitimacy afforded to designers who can break out in the American market or boutiques that carry American designers and I feel hopeful that this perception will carry less weight moving forward.

Can you walk us through the craftsmanship behind a typical Shivajothi piece—from fabric selection to final stitch? What details do you obsess over that most people might not even notice?

Sourcing Fabrics from local mom and pop shops or when I am travelling is one of my favourite parts of the process. Often a certain fabric will spark an idea for a garment and I have unlimited patience when it comes to digging through bolts to find hidden gems. My creative process is less conceptual than you might think. As much as I am inspired by music and film and the world around me that has much more of a subconscious effect on my output. A lot of the time while I am constructing the garments I will see chances for details like hidden inseam pockets or asymmetrical elements. This tends to allow for more creative flexibility and leads to a few happy accidents. The details I tend to fixate on are things like seam work and any handsewn aspects of the piece.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for your brand—it’s embedded in every step of your process. How do you balance eco-conscious practices with creative freedom and innovation?

If I am being completely honest, maintaining this balance has never actually impeded my creative freedom. As an emerging designer I don’t have the luxury of holding stock or mass producing. My pieces are typically made to order and my capsules have always contained several limited edition garments. This allows for more experimentation and risk taking in my work because I am not forced to adhere to these industry norms. These practices paired with my refusal to follow the fashion calendar organically lead to Shivajothi’s consistent sustainability. I understand that for many designers the process begins with photoshop and ends at a manufacturer overseas, that is simply not how I have ever imagined executing my vision.  

What excites you most about the future of Canadian fashion, and where do you hope to take Shivajothi next as the brand continues to grow and evolve?

What excites me the most about the future of Canadian fashion are the incredibly talented and driven people behind the scenes making it happen. I have personally seen so much warmth and encouragement between models, photographers and stylists in my local scene and those moments are what give me hope for the future. As I said before there is an abundance of truly high level talent in the Canadian fashion industry and if we take the time to properly nurture that talent we can build a much more sustainable bedrock for creators in the space. As for the future of Shivajothi my foremost focus is on collaboration and experimentation.