SLDF 2010 in November

by Sapumali GALAGODA

Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) 2010 will be held in November at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. It is organised by the Academy of Design(Colombo) in partnership with the Export Development Board and backed by the apparel industry sponsored by MAS Holdings.

The festival aims to promote Sri Lanka's traditional and contemporary industries to the world.

It will showcase the Sri Lankan apparel industry's manufacturing capabilities, creative strength and ethical fashion positioning while providing business opportunities for those who seek ethical apparel sourcing from Sri Lanka.

An international delegation of designers, design educationalists, journalists, retailers, buyers and opinion leaders will attend the festival. Leading global brands such as Mark & Spencer, Top Shop, Tesco and other renowned labels will also be attending the festival.

Tailormade itineraries for each of the international delegates will include sourcing meetings, visits to Sri Lanka's eco-friendly apparel manufacturing facilities and exposure to the industry's technology and design prowess.

This festival is also known as a dynamic cultural event and will include exhibitions, fashion shows, workshops, discussions and seminars in different fields of design including graphics, fashion, jewellery and interiors.

The workshops will range from traditional to contemporary crafts such as printing and photography and will open doors to a global exchange of ideas, creative inspiration and techniques among designers and craft persons and will also help to promote Sri Lankan design industries. Delegates and public will also be able to see traditional craftsmen from across Sri Lanka at work and see authentic craft products on display.

Another core event will be the Ethical Fashion Symposium, where fashion brands, opinion leaders, manufacturers and fashion educators come together to deliberate and map out the future direction of ethical fashion.

This will be chaired by a legendary fashion commentator from UK-Colin McDwell.

Managing Director of the Academy of Design (AOD) and founder of the Sri Lanka Design Festival, Linda Speldewinde said "We feel Sri Lanka is ready to make its own unique contribution to the world of fashion and design and we want SLDF to facilitate Sri Lanka's debut to the world of design".

A founder of the Ethical Fashion Forum UK, Elizabeth Lasker together with the Sri Lanka Design Festival, MAS Holdings, Exibal Ltd and Marks & Spencer initiated the Sri Lanka Designer Award in 2009.

The Award will be given to four Sri Lankan designers for creative flair, exceptional design skills and ethical practices during the festival in 2010.

"This festival provides us the perfect opportunity to show our commitment to the future apparel industry and mostly positioning Sri Lanka as a ethical manufacturing hub to this region" said MAS Holdings Chairman Mahesh Amalean.