- Rough Clothing marks 27 years with its flagship retail store
After nearly three decades quietly shaping Sri Lanka’s casualwear market, Rough Clothing has stepped into a new era with the opening of its flagship store at Colombo City Centre (CCC). For a brand that began in 1998 and steadily earned its place as one of the country’s leading premium casualwear names, the launch of this dedicated retail space signals the brand’s shift from a largely wholesale legacy to a fully immersive customer-first presence.
Situated on Level One at Shop 08, the new space unites Rough’s entire portfolio under one roof. For long-time customers, it offers familiarity in the quality and fit they’ve trusted for years. For new shoppers, it introduces a curated space designed with the brand’s core identity in mind: comfortable, timeless clothing built with attention to detail.
“We’ve been doing this for 27 years, mostly behind the scenes,” said Director Nabeel Khalid, who now leads the company founded by his father, Co-founder & Director Noor Mohamed Khalid. “Opening a flagship store gives people the chance to interact with our full range in one place. We wanted a space where anyone walking in could immediately sense what makes Rough different.”
From wholesale pioneer to lifestyle brand
Rough Clothing began as a wholesale operation supplying local retailers with well-constructed casualwear. By the early 2000s, it had already carved out a reputation for introducing styles that were new to Sri Lanka, including internationally inspired polo shirts – a first for a locally built label at the time.
As demand grew, Rough moved beyond polos and into a wide selection of clothing for men, women, and children. Today, the brand offers activewear, denim, tees, joggers, jackets, accessories, and a popular kids’ line, with sizes extending up to 5XL.
“For us, casualwear has never been an afterthought,” Nabeel explained. “Sri Lankans live in casual clothes – work, home, weekends, travel. So, we focus on making those pieces feel better, last longer, and hold up well even with frequent washing.”
The shift from factory floors and wholesale showrooms to a prime retail presence has been gradual but intentional. The brand expanded to the UAE three years ago, strengthening its reach among Sri Lankan and international shoppers in the Gulf region. The Colombo flagship, however, holds special importance for the family behind the brand.
“This is home,” Nabeel said. “Our roots are here. Our customers are here. Opening the flagship in Colombo City Centre felt like the right step at the right time.”
Fabric at the heart of the brand
Ask anyone familiar with Rough what sets the brand apart, and the answer usually begins with the fabric. Rough has long been known for its in-house developed cotton blends treated with bio-wash technology to make garments softer, more breathable, and more durable. The fabrics are engineered to resist fading, peeling, and shrinking – pain points many consumers face, especially in tropical climates.
To maintain this standard, Rough sources high-quality materials from Italy, Thailand, and Vietnam, while keeping fabric innovation as a core part of its production process.
“We test every fabric to make sure it can withstand real life,” Nabeel said. “Heat, humidity, long days outdoors – our clothes need to handle all of that without losing colour or shape. That level of consistency is something we’ve protected since day one.”
He added, “Some of our customers joke that their oldest Rough shirts still look new after years. That’s the kind of feedback that keeps us moving.”
Why a flagship store matters now
For a brand that built its foundation in wholesale, the move into a prime retail location represents a strategic turning point. Buying behaviour in Sri Lanka has shifted, with customers increasingly valuing experiential retail over traditional aisle-based shopping.
The flagship allows Rough to offer personalised service, introduce new collections directly to shoppers, and receive immediate feedback.
“It changes how we connect with people,” Nabeel said. “When someone tries on a shirt and tells us how it feels, or when they talk about what they want to see next, that helps us grow. The store becomes a meeting point between what we’ve built and what customers are looking for.”
The flagship’s interior design pays tribute to the brand’s journey. The space features rustic and nautical hints – a nod to the original inspiration behind Rough’s name and early identity – paired with antiques and custom design elements that anchor the store in heritage.
The store’s layout encourages slow browsing, with each section subtly guiding customers through different categories. Dedicated displays showcase the brand’s polos and premium basics, while lifestyle zones bring together denim, jackets, and accessories.
“We wanted to create a place where the story behind the brand comes through naturally,” Nabeel shared. “The idea wasn’t just to set up racks of clothing. We wanted customers to walk in and immediately understand the values that shaped Rough – honesty, comfort, and reliability in everything we make.”
Looking ahead
Rough’s expansion into retail comes at a time when local brands are gaining traction both domestically and internationally. With loyal customers in Sri Lanka and an expanding base in the UAE, the company plans to continue refining its collections while staying true to its longstanding commitment to quality.
“People trust us because we’ve never compromised on what matters to them,” Nabeel noted. “The flagship store is our way of honouring that trust. It’s a space built for our customers – a place they can return to knowing they’ll find pieces that feel familiar but fresh each season.”
As shoppers filter through Colombo City Centre this festive period, the Rough flagship stands out as both a culmination of 27 years of quiet expertise and the start of a more outward-facing chapter. For the Khalid family, it is the moment their behind-the-scenes legacy becomes part of the city’s retail landscape.
“This store is a milestone for us,” Nabeel said. “But more than that, it’s a promise – that we’ll keep improving, keep designing, and keep offering clothes people feel good wearing.”