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Thursday, 26 November 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SAALF 2015 creates a networking hotspot to meet buyers and senior apparel leaders
The South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum 2015 presents a not-to-be missed opportunity to mingle with senior apparel industry leaders, global sourcing specialists and buyers. Structured as a groundbreaking meeting-of-minds facilitating new business relationships between international and local participants, this forum already has a confirmed participation of an influential delegation of international buying and sourcing specialists looking to network with Sri Lanka’s fashion industry.
Thus, the forum aims to deliver business networking and B2B meetings for the entire apparel value chain, all in one go. With a series of intriguing sessions from some of the world’s leading innovators in the business of fashion, South Asian Apparel Leadership will be held as part of Sri Lanka Design Festival 2015 on 28 November 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at SLECC.
South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum’s 2015 theme ‘Reimagining Business’ highlights a new way of looking at the fashion manufacturing business by incorporating design thinking, sustainability, innovation and even user-experience. With room for speed-dating and quick B2B networking, the forum presents and ideal place for visiting international retailers and buyers to make new business contact with like-minded fashion manufacturers. The forum is structured with an early registration and a pre-forum networking session, plus ample opportunities to make new connections during tea breaks and post-forum networking.
The forum topics too are designed to nurture new business thinking, and ideas to make innovating B2B connections through shared interests in sustainability, design or innovation. Among the key discussions held will be the session led by Keld Mikkelsen – Founder of the Danish luxury fashion label DAY Birger et Mikkelsen on ‘Innovating for a Luxury Brand’; a definitive guide to moving towards establishing own brands or working with high-street brands. Mikkelsen will also share an insider story of how his brand took a leap of faith by making an extraordinary deal with Sri Lankan fashion. 
Inspiring fashion manufacturers and retailers alike to think real about sustainability is one of the most respected authorities in green fashion – Eva Kruse, founder of Danish Fashion Institute and Copenhagen Fashion Summit. Kruse will speak about ‘Sustainability Leadership driving Innovation’ touching on the tangible and the intangible, how sustainability spurs innovation and provides a different lens for thinking by serving as an impetus for companies to think differently and therefore innovatively.
Sharing marketing strategies for a brand-led future and continuing the conversation of leveraging the manufacturing expertise to launching a global brand are two more global experts, Denise Tavernier – Commercial Director of Chiltern Street Studio and Pippa Roberts, Fashion Account Director or PUSH PR in the UK who will be in discussion with Chris Sanderson of Future Laboratory for an insightful panel discussion.
Paul Forman the global CEO of the world’s largest thread maker Coats is one of the key speakers at the forum, visiting Sri Lanka at the invitation of Coats Thread Lanka Managing Director Douglas Aceiro. Forman, a highly experienced global apparel supply chain leader, will share his insights on innovating on multiple pathways with cultural innovation as the starting point, through his topic ‘The Big Picture – Driving innovation from B2B to B2C’.
The phenomenal Dutch designer Daan Roosegarde visiting Sri Lanka hosted by the Netherlands’ embassy in Colombo is an inspirational speaker at the forum. Award-winning designer and Innovator, Roosegarde sheds light on how to rethink your industry logic by merging fantasy with pragmatism and imagination with innovation through the session ‘Merging Realities : Imagination, Innovation and Experience’.
Other speakers also include the world’s foremost consumer insight and trend forecasting agency – The Future Laboratory. Their insights on ‘Ahead of the Curve: how innovation needs to drive the future success of your business’ will shed new light on what the consumers today want and how to get ahead of the innovation curve.
Forum also hosts DeepikaRana – Executive Director Sub Continent and Sub Saharan Africa for Li & Fung, who will share her insights on ‘Global Sourcing Landscape & Future Strategies’ and Shirendra Lawrence – Managing Director of MAS Active on ‘Design & Source Sri Lanka’, as well as Peter Ingwersen former LEVIS brand director and Founder of NOIR and ILLUMINATI moderating a discussion with Linda Speldewinde – Entrepreneur and Founder AOD/FashionMarket.lk/SLDF and Chamath De Alwis – Vice President at Star Garments Group. The forum will be chaired by Kumar Mirchandani Managing Director/Favourite Group and targets and audience of C-Suite execs, CEOs, leadership teams of apparel manufacturing entities and their supply chain partners. With little Sri Lanka making a big difference in the international fashion frontier by combining the best of what the country has to offer, South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum (SAALF) will play the pivotal role in solidifying it as a regional fashion hub integrating fashion manufacturing, design, retail, supply and logistics.
SLDF 2015’s is supported by Sri Lanka Apparel, the Export Development Board along with Brandix and MAS holdings as principal fashion industry patrons. SLDF is also supported by Coats Thread- Official Thread & Zip Partner as the main supply chain supporter. The event is also supported by Mercedes-Benz powered by Dimo, SriLankan Airlines – the official airline and Wijeya Newspapers’ Daily FT, Daily Mirror and Sunday Times as official print media.
The event is also supported by Mount Lavinia Hotel as the official host and Sunshine Travels. SLDF was founded by AOD. Sri Lanka Design Festival will be launched to the local business community on 26 November and remain open to the public on 27, 28 and 29 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre.
To purchase tickets call 0115867772/3 or visit the SLDF secretariat at AOD on 29, Lauries Road Colombo 4 or purchase online on www.srilankadesignfestival.com/participate/.
With outstanding, fresh contemporary work in fashion, graphic design and interior design as well as photography, REVEAL 2015 presents businesses and organisations with a unique opportunity to handpick designers who will take their business to the next level. AOD extends an open invitation to businesses in fashion, apparel, advertising, graphic design, animation, gaming, print, interior architecture, furniture, tourism, hospitality and other sectors to come witness Sri Lanka’s hottest, young design talent at REVEAL graduate design exhibition this weekend.
AOD international design campus is showcasing its graduating class of 2015 with REVEAL graduate design exhibition. With design now being recognised as one of the most important value additions for business, REVEAL stands as a very unique opportunity for organisations to connect with young design talent. REVEAL 2015 will be held as part of the prestigious Sri Lanka Design Festival organised by AOD.
A prestigious audience of advertising gurus, graphic designers, fashion designers, apparel industry leaders, architects, photographers, furniture retailers and interior designers have been invited for a special private viewing of this exhibition on 26 Thursday at Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre (SLECC) while the exhibition will remain open freely on 27, 28 and 29 November between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the same venue.
AOD REVEAL promises to be highly beneficial to the local business sector as it is a hotspot to locate talented designers in fashion, graphic design, packaging design, logo/brand identity design, advertising and campaign direction, interior and furniture design for hospitality/residential/retail and corporate spaces etc. These young designers whose education is in par with current global standards promise to add great value to the corporate sector.
REVEAL 2015 includes three simultaneous showcases of the latest fashion, interior design and graphic design projects by the AOD designers graduated through the Northumbria University UK design degrees offered at AOD. These design graduates are trained according to the current and future needs of international and Sri Lankan industries. The exhibition has been curated by AOD’s international faculty and promises to be an exquisite experience for its visitors.
If you are a business owner or an HR manager looking for design talent, or even an enthusiast of design and creativity, head over to SLECC on 27, 28, 29 November between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. For more information call AOD on 11 5867772/3 or log on to www.facebook.com/aodsrilanka.
