A lesson from Linda’s life
Linda Speldewinde Photo by Kesera Rathnavibushana
Linda Speldewinde, Founder and Managing Director of the Academy of Design in an interview with The Sunday Leader spoke of her early beginnings, her experiences and her dreams…
1) How did you get in to the fashion industry? I got in to the fashion industry with the setting up of the Academy of Design back in year 2000, pioneering in to the area of undergraduate education in design in Sri Lanka. The Academy was set up with a clear vision to offer a solid undergraduate education in design to our Sri Lankan younger generation and to promote design as both a serious educational discipline and a dynamic profession in the country. Getting in to the fashion industry from this angle has been a very rewarding journey for me and I am a great believer of the power of education and its capacity to be a change agent of society.
2) What made you apply for the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award (IYFE) Award 2009? The award is not an award for just design or creativity for which there are many awards. It was touching at something deeper and more substantial. It was an award which offered a gateway to the UK, which is currently recognised as the world creative hub. Having built the Academy over the past nine years and contributed to laying the canvass for design to be a profession in this country, I felt the need had come to push the creative industries in general. To push it to a level that it would not just be a hobby but a true wealth generator, a job creator and a contributor to our national economy. I felt this award would give me the learning that was required to achieve this, which it did.
3) During your participation with the international award, what did you pick up and what support did the British Council give you ? I had a very good itinerary that was prepared and funded by the British Council, Gill Westaway, Country Director for the British Council in Sri Lanka has been the one behind educating me on the potential of the creative industries for a country and Ranmali Mirchandani, Programmes Manager at the British Council should be given full credit for getting me interested on the topic at the very early days of its discussion. The meetings I had in the UK were really what I needed as a network to the UK to build that link and also to learn how I can build the creative industries in Sri Lanka. The UK industry tour which was arranged for me was excellent and it was designed so one could analyze on a non superficial level and learn about the fashion industry in the UK. The British Council organised these meetings to introduce me to exemplary initiatives in the UK fashion sector.
The tour, that took place in February this year, included meetings with senior industry figures and the chance to visit London and Nottingham and attend the London Fashion Week. It included a masterclass with Sir Paul Smith. It included meetings with – London Development Agency and its creative industries team who works to support and promote key growth sectors such as Fashion in the UK. There were meetings with the likes of Topshop fashion’s major success story on the UK high street and the likes of Selfridges and other key retailers. It was useful to visit Pure London, a trade fashion event for womens-wear, footwear, accessories and unisex market. It had daily catwalk shows as well as trend presentations led by Drapers and the likes were great. Met with British Fashion Council their Head of Operations Simon Ward. This was very useful as Simon explained how the British Fashion Council (BFC) aims, with the help of industry benefactors, to promote British fashion design worldwide through its principle activities such as the London Fashion Week, incorporating New Generation the sponsorship scheme for new designers, and Fashion Forward which supports designers in the next stage of their development — The annual British Fashion Awards, The Colleges Council, which develops links between Britain’s top fashion colleges and the industry and such initiatives.
To be continued next week
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