Emerald and AOD look to redesign local industry

From left: Emerald International Head of HR Sepali Hettiarachchi, Emerald International Head of Marketing Kisani Dahanayake, Emerald International Head of Design and Development Arun Kumar, Emerald International Manager Operations Ahmed Ikram, Emerald International General Manager Fazni Amanullla, AOD CEO Ranmal Ekanayake and AOD Principal Karen Macleod

Emerald International Ltd., Sri Lanka’s premier menswear brand, recently signed an MOU with the Academy of Design (AOD), Sri Lanka’s pioneer in design driven innovation, to formalise their collaboration. 

Speaking on the collaboration, Emerald International General Manager Fazni Amanulla said: “In the business of building strong menswear brands in our own manufacturing plants, it is important that we have access to the latest industry insights and knowledge as well as a pool of highly-skilled and talented designers. To this end we are very pleased and enthusiastic to collaborate with AOD. Their students represent the very best Sri Lanka has to offer and are the future leaders of our industry.”

Academy of Design CEO Ranmal Ekanayake said: “The AOD education model is a unique one that combines global design practices, industry know-how, international exposure and local heritage. Our powerful partnership with Northumbria gives AOD designers a global passport to work anywhere in the world. Hence, it was natural for us to be interested in collaborating with a well-known menswear company like Emerald with the purpose of enhancing the design knowledge and skills of our students.”

AOD Principal Karen MacLeod said: “Collaborative live projects with the industry give our young designers a unique insight to brands and is an integral part of the DNA of AOD Fashion. Emerald’s expertise in shirt design and manufacture gives our students hands-on experience and insight in to the world of international design.”

Over the past decade AOD has established itself as the most trusted partner for design-led industries in Sri Lanka and abroad. They are also behind some of the most powerful design initiatives in the country, such as Sri Lanka Design Festival, Island Craft Project and www.fashionmarket.lk.

Founded in 1956, Emerald firmly believes that the Sri Lankan male deserves nothing but the best and focuses on quality, reliability, and innovation to create shirts that meet its own exacting standards. With noted International designer Arun Kumar Tiwari spearheading product design, its ISO 9001 certified production units manufacture a diverse range of products including woven shirts, T-shirts, innerwear, and formal trousers for local and international markets. 

Emerald represents world renowned fashion labels such as Crocodile and runs its Shirtworks Retail outlets while being represented by the largest dealership network in the country. Emerald is endorsed by Sri Lanka’s world renowned cricketing icons Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena.

More and more Sri Lankan brands are seeking out to compete globally using design as a key driver for innovation. AOD has strengthened its design resources to cater to this needs and has grown to be the most sought after resource center for new age design and for supporting industry with collaborative partnerships. 

Apart from its relationship with the apparel industry, AOD also supports home grown brands and decided to partner with Emerald Shirts in this instance, apart from also gaining manufacturing insights for its own students. Partnerships of this nature are important as Sri Lanka needs to more and more position itself as the design and innovation hub of South Asia.