With a clear focus on guiding and mentoring aspiring designers, the program is in line with Colombo Fashion Week’s vision since inception of elevating the country’s fashion industry in all aspects of designer development, including designer retail infrastructure. The strength of designers to follow will determine the future of Sri Lankan fashion. The Emerging Designer showcase focuses on just that by honing the skills of young designers and providing them with a platform to grow their talent.
The designers are enriched with the know-how on fine-tuning their respective brands and collections to better appeal to an audience comprising of established designers, editors, buyers and influencers, both on and off the runway and particularly in terms of fashion retail.
“CFW’s Emerging Designer program gave me the opportunity to showcase my brand on a highly respected platform and reach a wide audience. The mentoring sessions offered by the program helps me fine-tune everything from conceptualizing to production to marketing, which is essential for any designer who is freshly entering the market.”
Himashi Wijeweera
“The Colombo Fashion Week Emerging Designer program was a valuable platform for me to grow as a designer and to understand the important correlation between design, story-telling and retail. It was a supportive platform and I received firsthand reviews by industry professionals, which enabled me to realize my vision for my collection.”
Joanne Kulamannage
“CFW provides a valuable platform for young designers like me to establish ourselves in the industry. It gives us the right tools and feedback to develop our careers. The guidance I received allowed me to stay true to my creative skills and express myself better through my collection. Winning the HSBC Colombo Fashion Week NEXT Award 2019, in my first year as a CFW Emerging Designer was a turning point in my life and I am very grateful for this platform.”
Ayesh Wickremarathne
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity that’s been given to me through CFW. To be selected as an Emerging Designer for Colombo fashion week means a lot because I always dreamed of someday showcasing my own designs. I learnt how to develop my brand, how to become retail ready, and that I was capable of producing garments with unique silhouettes and sustainability in mind. I want to thank CFW for giving me a strong design pathway.”
Nilusha Maddumage
“I am very grateful for the opportunity I received to take part as an Emerging Designer at CFW 2020. The program has been a great experience for me. The mentors have been exceptionally supportive and I received clear guidance on how to expand my creativity in terms of innovation and design development as well as collection planning. CFW gives new designers access to a strong national and international audience of buyers and media. It is an opportunity to enjoy substantial industry and media exposure and a platform to express and polish our design strengths.”
Hirushi Jayathilake
“CFW’s Emerging Designer Program is a big opportunity to introduce ourselves to the world as fashion designers. They groom us for success as fashion designers in the industry. We are encouraged and given the space to showcase our talent and develop as creative thinkers. The mentors identify our strengths and uniqueness and share their knowledge and experience to guide us in the right direction. When I review my CFW journey l can easily identify the improvements I have made through this program.”
Divya Jayawickrama
