Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Friday, 21 June 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Twenty apparel collections created by final year fashion design students of the University of Moratuwa (UoM) illuminated the catwalk with fascinating styles, at a spectacular event sponsored by Teejay Lanka PLC, Sri Lanka’s only multinational textile mill.
The occasion was the 13th annual Graduation Fashion Show of the University’s Department of Textile and Clothing Technology, for which Teejay was the Principal Sponsor for the seventh consecutive year.
Seven awards, namely, the Outstanding Designer Brand, the Commercially Creative Designer, the Serendib Inspirational Designer, the Menswear Designer, the Innovative Designer, the Creative Knitwear Designer, and the Innovative Textile Fabric Designer were presented to promising final year undergraduates of two degree courses, at the show held at Waters Edge, Colombo.
Graduating students launched brand new collections developed from concept to final product at this event, with their ensembles paraded on the ramp by professional models.
As the main sponsor, Teejay Lanka showcased its own collection positioned as ‘a purpose driven sustainable knitwear collection’ at the introduction of the event. Created from scrap fabric in a move to introduce it as a sustainable solution to environment pollution caused by the disposal of fabric, this design compilation also sought to emphasise the danger of air pollution to the environment. The stars of the night were Kulani Harindree, who won the Outstanding Designer Brand Award, Sapthika Jacob and Thilini Anushika, who shared the Innovative Designer Award, Chami Jayasinghe, winner of the Innovative Textile Fabric Designer Award, and Ravindu Artigala, who won the Menswear Designer Award.
The panel of judges for these awards comprised of eminent personalities in the fashion world such as Hirdaramani Industries Design Head Piyumi Perera, Freelance Designer Peter Katz, Raffles College of Design Academic Lead and Fashion Design Program Coordinator Dinesh Chandrasena, Teejay Lanka Business Development Manager Lashma Dissanayaka, Vogue Tex Ltd. Creative Head Mareike Riepert and Brandix Lanka Front End PD Merchandizers Consultant Jessica Mitchell.Prior to the fashion show, final year students of the department also had the opportunity to showcase their apparel collections at a three-day exhibition held at the Lionel Wendt, Colombo.
The collaboration between the university and Teejay Lanka PLC was strengthened through a memorandum of understanding originally signed in 2014 and renewed this year, enabling development of opportunities for employment generation, fostering programs, training internships and collaboration on strengthening research, design and technical capabilities and product development on a mutually beneficial platform. The Department of Textile and Clothing Technology of UoM is the largest manpower training provider to the textile and clothing industry of Sri Lanka. The Department conducts two degree courses and offers postgraduate training leading to Master’s and PhD degrees. To date, the department has produced close to 1,800 graduates who are currently successfully employed in the apparel industry, both locally and abroad.
With manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka and India, Teejay is one of the region’s largest textile manufacturers, and supplies fabric to some of the best international brands across the world. Teejay Lanka is a public quoted company with 39% public ownership. The company is backed by Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter, Brandix Lanka which has a 33% stake and Pacific Textiles of Hong Kong which owns 28% of the company.
