Fuse-It: AOD partners with Netherlands’ Embassy for international design collaboration

Friday, 21 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Design is a creative process that provides practical, exciting and aesthetically pleasing solutions to our everyday lives – it’s a process that crosses cultures and nations; this universal nature of design makes it an effective and interesting method of cultural exchange.

AOD International Design Campus, as the leading global standard design educator contributing to Sri Lanka, is leading an international design collaboration that highlights the island’s 400 year old relationship with the Kingdom of Netherlands. Initiated by the Netherlands Embassy in Sri Lanka, the project is titled ‘Fuse It’ and highlights the historic friendship through a cultural exchange of design. Here, a young design graduate from the world renowned Eindhoven Design Academy has been flown down to Sri Lanka by the embassy, to work in partnership with AOD’s design graduates. This multi-cultural group of young designers are currently exploring the traditional crafts, motifs and the visual heritage of both countries and working at the AOD campus studios to create something unique. AOD’s Principal Karen MacLeod said that the project emphasises the institute’s commitment to demonstrate the social relevance of design; “Design is no small thing- it’s a powerful medium that connects people across the world as ‘Fuse It’ clearly highlights. We have taken this opportunity to allow our graduates to collaborate with design talent from Netherlands’ Eindhoven Academy that is considered a design hallmark in the Europe. We strongly believe that these kind of international collaborations play a key role in enriching AOD designers to become world-class professionals.” The outcomes of this colourful project will be a limited edition range of fashion, designer textiles and products that will be displayed to the public at the event FUSE IT held at the Dutch Burgher Union on the evening of 28 March 2014. Fuse It evening will include a dazzling fashion runway and a design market where the outcomes of the project will be available for purchase.