Sri Lanka Design Festival 2016 kicks off today

Sri Lanka Design Festival 2016 (SLDF) is scheduled to kick off this evening, presenting a new age paradigm for some of the country’s most powerful industries linked to design, such as fashion and apparel, interior architecture, travel and tourism, hospitality, leather and footwear as well as jewellery,  IT and software. Focusing on disrupting old systems, reinventing and transforming as the core philosophy, SLDF promises to map out innovative shifts that can affect the course of Sri Lanka’s major industries. 

The SLDF theme this year is presented responding to the current transformative age. Every few decades, all industries reach a tipping point where strategies and operational models become obsolete, unless reinvented. In Sri Lanka, there are many industries that are set and facing challenges, and they need a new way of thinking. The much-needed thought leadership and inspiration for this process is what Sri Lanka Design Festival sets out to deliver today. 

Sri Lanka Design Festival was initiated in 2009 and has been the leading platform for showcasing apparel industry innovations and initiating fashion thought leadership since. Over the last eight years, it has grown to broaden its reach to include other industries such as contemporary craft, hospitality, tourism and most notably, interior design. 

In 2016, the event takes a special focus on crafting all its exhibitions, forum content and the strategies for the runways to lead the way for a big transformation for all these sectors. By bringing in the best breed of thought leaders from around the world, the forums will deliver insightful knowledge on creative disruption, design thinking and how constant innovation can help reinvent and transform businesses from jewellery, software/IT to leather and footwear. Simultaneously, the runways at the festival are curated with a new take on Sri Lankan fashion which also presents an inspiring disruptive business model to the local apparel industry with ‘travel fashion’. 

Simultaneously, SLDF’s other large undertaking - its interior design edition brings together some of the country’s leading brands in homeware, furniture, colour, furnishing, product design lighting technology, colour, special finishes, porcelain/bathware, homeware, hotelware and fabrics. This vast collection has been individually curated into designer spaces and unique installations at one large exhibition that remains open throughout the festival. Simultaneously, the exhibition is also a platform to visiting international designers, all united under the theme ‘Future Tropical Modernism’. 

The exhibition not only aims to inspire the general public and interior design/architecture students, but also provides a fantastic platform for those in the business such as property developers, design firms, architectural studios, real estate agencies and property owners looking for modern Sri Lankan design to meet designer studios, service providers, home brands and interior supply chain.

SLDF will be kicked off today at an exclusive opening and will remain open through 4, 5 and 6 November at SLECC Colombo. 

The key partners of the event include Coats Thread – Official Thread and Zip Partner, GT Nexus – Official Technology Partner, HNB Bank – Artisan Empowerment Partner, Mount Lavinia Hotel – Official Host, Wijeya Newspapers – Official Print Media, Just-Style – International Media Partner, Dialog – Official Telecommunications Partner, British Council – Knowledge Sharing Partner, Papyrus – Official Paper Partner, Anim8 - Official Print Partner, Free Lanka – Official Beverages Partner, Salon Kess and We Are Designers. The event is endorsed by the Joint Apparel Association Forum. 

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion runways will be hosted as part of Sri Lanka Design Festival by AOD in partnership with DIMO featuringl key apparel industry participants MAS, Hirdaramani, Timex, Star Garments, LICC, MRC, Orit, Innovative Knits, EKKO, Union Apparel, Penguin, Lanka Leather, Rakshaa, Tee Jay Lanka, Avirate and Vogue Tex. The event is endorsed by the Joint Apparel Association Forum.

Participants for the interior design exhibition include Raux Brothers, Fairway Holdings, Dulux, Anim8, Asoria, Swedish Trading, Clove Republic Colours &  Shades, Dankotuwa, Delmege, Don Carolis, Euro Pantry, Exel Holdings, Fine Furniture, JAT Holdings, Koncept Centro, Space & Lalin Design, Light & Shade, Masterpieces, Ranjana's Ceramic and Techwood.

For more information, contact the SLDF secretariat on 076 777 0306, 5867772-3 email [email protected] or walk in between 9am -5pm to the Sri Lanka Design Festival Secretariat at AOD, 29, Laurie’s Road, Colombo 04.