| AOD's vision is to produce Sri Lankan Graphic Design Icons who will inspire the global industry of Visual Communication | ||||
| Interview with AOD's Programme Head of Graphics, Alain Parizeau | ||||
| Training young minds to compete and lead in one of the most powerful and dynamic industries of the world is no easy task. However, this is the challenge taken on by Alain Parizeau, the programme head of Graphic Design at AOD, as he leads the AOD graphics department to create designers for the future. Originally from Montreal-Canada, Alain completed his formal education in Graphic Design at York University.
After a successful career as a creative director he moved to Sri Lanka at the invitation of AOD, to enrich young minds with his knowledge and expertise in the field of Graphic Design and Advertising. During a special interview, Parizeau spoke about how AOD is working towards the growth of the local industry of visual communication through its innovative education. "Sri Lanka is a country full of inspiration for design. Its heritage, landscapes, people, and even the language are wonderful elements that inspire any designer. I have seen amazing creativity by some designers here. If we are creative with the skills and materials at our disposal, we can produce internationally recognized design solutions that will be unique to this nation," says Parizeau. With this wealth of inspiration and talent ready at hand, what should Sri Lanka do? Alain believes that this creative energy should get focused and better directed through right design education; "Creativity needs to be honed with the right kind of education and training so that it's socially relevant and functional." AOD creates a real life learning experience during education in order to prepare students to face the challenges that await them in the industry; "The more we allow our students to tackle real-life problems and realistic situations, the better prepared they will be to work in the industry. So, we direct them towards tasks that demand solutions for advertising, publishing and corporate or small businesses. From design concept to execution and project management to delivery, our student practice each step of the process, so by the time they leave school they're not only savvy in design but also in industry practices and client etiquette. At this time, they graduate from AOD as professionals." AOD offers one of Europe's top graphic design programmes; Northumbria University School of design – UK degree. This grants AOD's graphic designers with several different career possibilities, such as advertising, publishing, interface design, art direction, and illustration, anywhere in the world. What can the Sri Lankan graphic design and visual communication industry achieve with all this? Parizeau believes that international education in graphic design is what will create a generation of Sri Lankan designers who will elevate the local graphic, advertising and creative sectors to a global market. Such leading designers and advertisers will also inspire the continuing growth of the industry; "global success of a Sri Lankan graphic designer or an advertising agency will do more than help the growth of the industry. It will give future Sri Lankan advertisers and graphic designers more approachable idols. Seeing a person or an organization from a background similar to them, making waves across the world of visual communication, can inspire generations of Sri Lankans to achieve the same and more."
AOD's Graphics department is working towards this goal of producing experts in visual communication who will standout anywhere in the world. Alain believes that partaking in international competitions and live local and international projects is a sure way of bridging knowledge gaps and preparing his students to take on global challenges; "Our students won national places for Cannes Lions advertising festival in both 2010 and 2011, while two more of our students were selected to represent the country at Spikes Asia Advertising Festival 2011 in Singapore. AOD's vision is to produce Sri Lankan Graphic Design Icons who will inspire the world visual communication industry, and we are getting there." |
Creating designers for the future
One-to-one business meeting drives exports of SMEs
The highlight from a business sense was the one to one discussions that were staged at the Sri Lanka Designer Festival 2010 between Small and Medium apparel companies/apparel brands and prospective retailer globally.
The global retailers included top names such as Asos, Ted Baker, Frugi, Warehouse, Playhouse, Topshop, and Whistles.
Whilst the Sri Lankan export companies/brand label owners who took part were Buddhi batiks, Ventura Star, Vogue Tex, Orit, BAM, Hirdaramanis, Brandix (Conexao brand), Times, Jinadasa, Saemaul, Penguin, Union Apparels, Rakshaa, Marlo, Sanchia and Kalaro to name a few. They were keen to find links to global markets which gave a new twist to the Sri Lanka Design Festival perceived to be more of a creative than a fashion show.
The Founder Core Team member Rohantha Athukorala said the Sri Lanka Designer Festival was an idea conceptualised by the creative guru Linda Speldewinde around three years back and has been supported ably by a team of professionals for it to be a high share of voice event today. The 2010 edition was unique given that it linked to the Sri Lankan economy by linking products from rural Sri Lanka with artisans, SME apparel exporters and global retailers that gave the business dimension to the event said the corporate personality Athukorala.
The credibility earned over time has attracted key Government agencies that promote exports to partner the event including key private sector organisations like MAS, Brandix and Dialog together with SriLankan Airlines that gives an indication of the linkages to the Sri Lankan business sector and economy at large said Speldewinde.
Apart from the one to one business meetings between Small and medium scale apparel companies and key retailers for business building a landmark decision was made to launch a Sri Lanka Peace Collection that can bring in Rs.1 billion in export value to Sri Lanka. This will be the CSR project of the Sri Lanka Design Festival commented Athukorala
The Peace collection will be the brand that will connect rural Sri Lanka produce with the International markets said Athukorala. Some of the merchandise from the apparel collections that was showcased at the fashion shows of SLDF 2010 will be picked to come under the Peace Collection targeting the major U.S. chains like Macy’s and top retailers in UK with donor funding like UNIDO for supply chain development.
Macy’s CEO Terry Lungren who already carries the Rwanda Peace Collection in the Macy’s New York store had already committed to Athukorala at the WWD CEO summit this year that Macy’s can open the door for Sri Lanka’s Peace Collection brand provided that there is a continuous supply and sustainable business practice which happens to be the theme that SLDF has been driving on over the last three years.
The Peace Collection has the potential of becoming a key livelihood opportunity for villages that can bring in a net Rs.1 billion to the people who have been resettled in the North of Sri Lanka. The overall branding and promotional strategy has been finalised now, and all that is required is the product range said Athukorala the founder core committee member of Sri Lanka Design Festival.
For more information Contact:
AOD Colombo (Pvt) Ltd No. 29, Lauries Road, Colombo 04, Sri Lanka.
Telephone: (+) 94 11 5867772 / (+) 94 11 5742490
Web : www.aod.lk Email: info@aod.lk
The global retailers included top names such as Asos, Ted Baker, Frugi, Warehouse, Playhouse, Topshop, and Whistles.
Whilst the Sri Lankan export companies/brand label owners who took part were Buddhi batiks, Ventura Star, Vogue Tex, Orit, BAM, Hirdaramanis, Brandix (Conexao brand), Times, Jinadasa, Saemaul, Penguin, Union Apparels, Rakshaa, Marlo, Sanchia and Kalaro to name a few. They were keen to find links to global markets which gave a new twist to the Sri Lanka Design Festival perceived to be more of a creative than a fashion show.
The Founder Core Team member Rohantha Athukorala said the Sri Lanka Designer Festival was an idea conceptualised by the creative guru Linda Speldewinde around three years back and has been supported ably by a team of professionals for it to be a high share of voice event today. The 2010 edition was unique given that it linked to the Sri Lankan economy by linking products from rural Sri Lanka with artisans, SME apparel exporters and global retailers that gave the business dimension to the event said the corporate personality Athukorala.
The credibility earned over time has attracted key Government agencies that promote exports to partner the event including key private sector organisations like MAS, Brandix and Dialog together with SriLankan Airlines that gives an indication of the linkages to the Sri Lankan business sector and economy at large said Speldewinde.
Apart from the one to one business meetings between Small and medium scale apparel companies and key retailers for business building a landmark decision was made to launch a Sri Lanka Peace Collection that can bring in Rs.1 billion in export value to Sri Lanka. This will be the CSR project of the Sri Lanka Design Festival commented Athukorala
The Peace collection will be the brand that will connect rural Sri Lanka produce with the International markets said Athukorala. Some of the merchandise from the apparel collections that was showcased at the fashion shows of SLDF 2010 will be picked to come under the Peace Collection targeting the major U.S. chains like Macy’s and top retailers in UK with donor funding like UNIDO for supply chain development.
Macy’s CEO Terry Lungren who already carries the Rwanda Peace Collection in the Macy’s New York store had already committed to Athukorala at the WWD CEO summit this year that Macy’s can open the door for Sri Lanka’s Peace Collection brand provided that there is a continuous supply and sustainable business practice which happens to be the theme that SLDF has been driving on over the last three years.
The Peace Collection has the potential of becoming a key livelihood opportunity for villages that can bring in a net Rs.1 billion to the people who have been resettled in the North of Sri Lanka. The overall branding and promotional strategy has been finalised now, and all that is required is the product range said Athukorala the founder core committee member of Sri Lanka Design Festival.
For more information Contact:
AOD Colombo (Pvt) Ltd No. 29, Lauries Road, Colombo 04, Sri Lanka.
Telephone: (+) 94 11 5867772 / (+) 94 11 5742490
Web : www.aod.lk Email: info@aod.lk
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