CFW cultivates young design talent through CFW Day and BrightSpark Shows

Friday, 20 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The CFW Team with the students and management team at Raffles HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) hosted by Hilton Colombo nurtures aspiring designers by offering them a unique platform through BrightSpark Shows to showcase their talent during the most coveted fashion event of the year. This year, 10 BrightSpark designers have successfully completed an intensive training and mentoring process, the culmination of which will be previewing their collection at CFW Spring/Summer 2015 Show (11 to 14 March). CFW continues to serve as the backbone of the Sri Lankan fashion industry and in the months leading up to the BrightSpark Shows, is visiting leading design schools in Colombo to curate a CFW Day. During CFW Day, aspiring fashion designers are educated about the BrightSpark Shows program, its initiatives and its context within the overall CFW structure. Fashion design students are encouraged to engage with the CFW team, senior designers, sponsors and PR partners. Recently, a highly successful CFW Day was held at the Raffles Institute of Higher Education where students were able to meet the CFW team and explore the opportunities of being integrated into the program. Applications for BrightSpark Shows are open to all fashion design students. The most promising candidates are hand-picked by a panel of esteemed judges and receive integral feedback as well as continuous guidance and mentoring throughout their creative process – from ideation to creation of a runway-ready collection.

The CFW team with the Raffles management team During this process, the most impressive BrightSpark designers will be in the running to receive the prestigious Fashion Design Fund, which will put towards funding their ramp collection. BrightSpark Shows benefit aspiring young designers by offering them valuable insight into the workings of a high-profile fashion event and the preparation required to compile a cohesive and standout collection. The winner of the Fashion Design Fund will be announced at the BrightSpark Shows, which will be a part of the CFW Fashion Village, hosted at the Hilton Colombo Poolside. CFW, Colombo’s most glamorous fashion event of the year, features renowned fashion designers both locally and within the international arena, and is strengthened by its partners – HSBC, Hilton Colombo, Land Rover, Wineworld, Colombo Jewellery Stores, Unilever, TATA Housing, Cotton Collection, Hameedia, Ramani Fernando Salons and Leo Burnett, in its 12th rendition. CFW is among four main fashion weeks in Asia which is over 10 years old and brings together reputed designers, editors, entrepreneurs, curators, buyers, journalists and bloggers for a week-long celebration of runway shows and other exciting fashion-focused events. Through BrightSpark Shows, CFW allows young designers to gain recognition amongst its discerning attendees and takes the necessary steps towards building a successful career in fashion. For further details on BrightSpark Shows, please visit www.colombofashionweek.com or follow the latest updates on CFW’s official Facebook page, www.facebook.com/colombofashionweek.