Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is the manufacturing power behind several global fashion brands including the idolized lingerie brand ‘Victoria’s Secret’. A factor unknown to many is that several big brands like Victoria’s Secret is not only ‘made in Sri Lanka’ but also sometimes, designed in Sri Lanka.
Rukshika Fernando, a young fashion designer who completed her formal education at AOD (Academy of Design) is now part of the MAS Intimates creative team, working with Victoria’s Secret USA.
 “Thanks to AOD I got in to MAS Holdings and from the very beginning I have been working for Victoria’s Secret as a designer, and the experience has been beyond my expectations- MAS gave me the opportunity to design for one of the best known international lingerie brands and the last 5 years has been wonderful.
MAS Design constantly encourages their designers to work closely with their clients; as a result of this, Rukshi travels to work and train with Victoria’s Secret in the American Fashion Capital – New York; “Through MAS, I’ve been to the Big Apple, for 4months to work directly with the Victoria’s Secret right within the international fashion scene. It was just amazing to see my own designs in the VS stores in New York City. I am very happy to say my education at AOD gave me the knowledge to adjust with the fashion industry, anywhere in the world.”
 Rukshi Thanks AOD and her international lecturers there, for creating the foundation of her current success as a designer in Sri Lankan apparel industry; “AOD has been a very big part of my life. AOD taught me the value of attention to details, hard work, constant updating the quality of work, presentation skills and team work. The international curriculum at AOD prepared me for the fashion and apparel industries with the best practices, which have proved to be invaluable at my work at MAS.”
MAS Holdings - the largest intimate apparel group in the South Asian region with a turnover of US$ 900, is one of the pioneering apparel makers to invest in design. This is a crucial initiative to convert the Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing industry into a knowledge based fashion industry.
athan Sivagananathan - CEO at MAS Intimates-MAS Design said that MAS is a firm believer of employing young design talent to bring in fresh creativity to the apparel industry. “Design, originality and innovation are very important to MAS. This is what allows MAS to stay ahead in the design sector in apparel and to even go on to continue our very own successful lingerie brand.”
AOD Principal, British fashion designer Karen MacLeod said that AOD is extremely supportive of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry mission to become a South Asian fashion hub; “Talented designers like Rukshi are AOD’s best contribution to the design transformation needed by the local apparel industry. Seeing Rukshi’s designs on Victoria’s Secret website modeled by supermodels like Alessandra Ambrosio and Magdalena Frackowiak makes us very proud of her.”
AOD provides world renowned design degrees in fashion, fashion marketing, interior design, graphic design, motion graphics & animation along with certificate education in jewellery design and photography. For more information contact AOD on 11 5867772/3 or visit www.aod.lk, www.facebook/AODSrilanka |
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