Quick guide to Design Festival
View(s):The Sri Lanka Design Festival kicks off next weekend. Open to the public from Friday, November 27, the three-day event will feature discussions and shows cutting across a gamut of industries including fashion and apparel manufacturing, interior design and hospitality.
The 2015 theme ‘Design Means Business’ is set to highlight the role played by design in supporting major industries and drawing in new sources of revenue to the country.
SLDF will come to you in three forms; as a host of exhibitions, runway shows and forums, all to be held at the SLECC. Here’s a quick guide on what to expect from each segment-
Exhibitions
(November 27-29, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., entrance free) Interior Design Exhibition: will highlight new and unusual developments in the local interior design industry.
Bruno Pieters
The curated exhibition promises to be anything but the run of the mill interiors exhibition – expect a more immersive experience, say the organizers.
Reveal Graduate Exhibition: Hosted by the Academy of Design campus; it will bring together the graduating class of 2015 working in fashion, interior design and graphic design formats.
This is a launching pad for these young designers, some of whom have collaborated with industries and businesses to showcase their work.
Design and Source Sri Lanka: Presented by Sri Lanka Apparel to share the technology, sustainable practices and crafts that local fashion designers and businesses can incorporate into their products.
A large delegation of international buyers and sourcing specialists are also expected to attend.
Forums
Sustainable Fashion Symposium ( November 27, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m., Rs. 5,000): Expect some big names! Bruno Pieters, former creative director of Hugo Boss and founder of the world’s first transparent brand ‘Honest by’ is one of the most exciting speakers this year.
Interior Design Forum (November 27, 1 – 3 p.m. Rs. 5,000): targeted towards interior designers, architects, developers, construction engineers and design students in particular-featuring speakers such as Murad Ismail, John Balmond of Balmond Studios, and German industrial designer Daniel Becker.
South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum (November 28, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m., Rs. 35,000): this forum with some of the most powerful figures in the design industry will feature speakers such as Keld Mikkelson of Danish luxury brand Day Birger et Mikkelson and speakers from global industry heavyweights such as Li & Fung, Coats Thread, the Future Laboratory and local figures. Discussions will feature Sri Lanka’s unique positioning to move into luxury fashion marketing.
Design Katha ( November 29, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m., Rs. 1,500): speakers from fashion and interior design, package design, graphic design will discuss the art of being ingenious when it comes to businesses and industries.
Speakers include Leah Bazalgette from the Colombo Design Studio and Paul Roeters and Jeroen Hoedjes, founding partners of Studio Kluif, Netherlands.
Fashion shows
Mercedes-Benz Sustainable Fashion Runway ( November 27, 7 p.m., Rs. 5000)
Mercedes-Benz Emerging Talent Runway (November 29, 7 p.m., Rs. 2500)
Keld Mikkelson
Mercedes-Benz Fashion and Apparel Awards Sri Lanka (November 28, 7 p.m., Rs. 10,000): recognizes new talent, industrial innovation and sustainable business with a series of awards; recipients chosen by a panel of judges. Individual designers, brands, apparel manufacturers and retailers are given these awards.
For more details and tickets visit www.srilankadesignfestival.com