Travel fashion, the focus at Mercedes-Benz fashion runways
View(s):By Kaveesha Fernando
Aiming to meet the need for a global platform for Sri Lanka’s growing design industry, the Sri Lanka Design Festival to be held this November will highlight Sri Lanka’s multi-billion-dollar fashion manufacturing industry, contemporary craft design sector and interior design. Held annually, the Sri Lanka Design Festival hosts a range of events in a unique celebration of design with a special focus on delivering commercial links and international exposure for these sectors. The Sri Lanka Design Festival was conceptualised by the Academy of Design in 2009.
Part of this is the Mercedes-Benz fashion runways on November 4, 5 and 6 which this year is focused on the modern-day professional who intermingles business with pleasure and often needs their wardrobe to serve more than one purpose.
“The travel fashion collections on Mercedes-Benz Fashion Runways is an outcome of our quest to figure out an international position to build for the Sri Lankan fashion and apparel industry and for the young designers that we are creating at AOD,” said Linda Speldewinde, founder and Managing Director of AOD, Sri Lanka Design Festival and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Runways Sri Lanka. “In thinking about a brand position for Sri Lanka, we came up with the idea of Travel Fashion to fill a global void that we had identified which fitted in very well with we have to offer from the fashion, apparel and design sector here. This will be something we can own for the future for Sri Lanka.”
The three days of the runways are structured around what organizers feel are the three main pillars that make up the local fashion sphere – namely the upcoming designers of Sri Lanka, the apparel and textile industry as well as the emerging fashion talent of the country. The entire event is based on the theme of travel, to promote Sri Lanka as a travel fashion destination. The clothes featured on the runway will be designed for travellers, and wearable in tropical countries such as Sri Lanka, Western countries during the summer and even layered for slightly colder weather.
The aim is to promote the manufacture of high quality garments in Sri Lanka with factories creating their own labels.
The first day of SLDF 2016 will showcase upcoming Sri Lankan talent in contemporary fashion. Expect novel creations such as batik crop tops and dresses which have moved from the generally bright and vibrant colours of handloom textiles which Sri Lanka is known for.The innovative use of batik and other textiles is the result of a collaboration between contemporary designers and artisans from the north and south of Sri Lanka. Designers and brands such as Nithya, Rum Punch, Kat Scott, Hameedia, Nethmi Muramudalige, Aqua Island and Avirate will be on the ramp.
The second day’s travel collection will look at the high-tech textile designs which Sri Lanka is capable of producing, with many of Sri Lanka’s apparel manufacturers displaying their collections. While hoping to cater to international buyers such as Gap and H&M, the organizers hope that it will also help Sri Lankans gain insight into the capabilities of the island in high-tech fashion, so that it will inspire people to look to the future. MAS, Hirdaramani, Timex, Star Garments , LICC, MRC, Nor Lanka, Orit, Innovative Knits, EKKO, Union Apparel, Penguin, Lanka Leather, Rakshaa, Textured Jersey, Avirate and Vogue Tex will take the ramp.
The final day will feature the newly graduated designers from the Academy of Design.
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Runways Sri Lanka 2016 at the SLECC will be live streamed through the website: mbsrilankafashionrunways.com and the Facebook page: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Runways.
Local and global customers will also be given the opportunity to purchase the designer creations on the ramp through the Mercedes Benz Fashion Runways Website.
