The 2010 Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), organised by the Academy of Design and sponsored by MAS Holdings with the support of the Sri Lankan government was officially launched Thursday at the Royal Society in London.

The SLDF will be held from November 11-17 in Sri Lanka, and promises to offer sourcing opportunities for fashion manufacturing as well as showcasing other areas of Sri Lankan design such as crafts and jewellery.

From left to right - Managing Director of Academy of Design and Founder of Sri Lanka Design Festival Linda Speldewinde, Sustainable Fashion Specialist Claire Hamer, Chair of Marketing Initiatives Sri Lanka Apparel Kumar Mirchandani, British Council Sri Lanka Director Gill Westaway, Chairman of MAS Holdings Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean, Colin McDowell, Fashion Commentator and Brand Ambassador for Sri Lanka Design Festival 2010, and Manager, Programme Delivery, British Council Sri Lanla, Ranmali Mirchandani.

A key focus of the Sri Lankan garment industry is its approach to ethical fashion, with the country billed by industry body Sri Lanka Apparel as the world's first ethical apparel sourcing destination,SLDF has initiated a new award for ethical fashion design which will be presented at the event.

The London launch event was hosted by the British Council, which works in partnership with SLDF, and featured presentations on the Sri Lankan garment industry from a number of speakers including British Council Sri Lanka Director Gill Westaway, Chair of Marketing Initiatives Sri Lanka Apparel Kumar Mirchandani, MAS Holdings chairman Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean, Claire Hamer - Sustainable Fashion Specialist and SLDF founder Linda Speldewinde, who stated in this regard; "With an island blessed with natural beauty, a recorded history of 2500 years, a breadth of arts and crafts that is incomparable for its size, a word renowned fashion manufacturing industry coupled with investments it's made developing its design capabilities, Sri Lanka is ready to make its unique contribution to the world of fashion and design".

The session was chaired by Colin McDowell, one of the world's leading fashion commentators and brand ambassador for Sri Lanka Design Festival 2010.