Browsing by Author "Payne, A."

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The Fashion Designer's Evolving Role in the Apparel Value Chain : Perspectives from Sri Lankan Designers
(2019-06) Gopura, S; Payne, A.; Buys, L.
In the South Asian Region, the Sri Lankan apparel industry is transitioning from apparel assembly to providing higher value-added product and services. Fashion designers are key actors in this transition. The purpose of this article is to examine the evolving role of the fashion designerin the Sri Lankan apparel industry.The study adopts a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews conducted with twenty-eight fashion and product development professionals in the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Based on an inductive thematic analysis, the study finds that the Sri Lankan designers take a multidisciplinary approach to their design practice, integrating the key functions of fashion design, product development and manufacturing capabilities, in alignment with the functional and strategic ambitions of the apparel companies. Their approach to design through technical skills extends the conceptual approach of brand designers in fashion design practice. However, the fashion knowledge of Sri Lankan designers varies significantly depending on their familiarity with Western brands and retailers as well as Western consumer culture and lifestyle.
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Fashion education in Sri Lanka : the nexus between formal and informal education
(2019) Gopura, S.; Payne, A.; Bandara, D. C.; Buys, L.; Seneheweera, L.
For the past fifteen years, the Sri Lankan apparel industry has been upgrading from apparel assembly to providing design and product development services. The country’s fashion education developed in response to the industry’s need for design professionals. The purpose of this study is to explore how fashion designer competencies are developed within Sri Lanka. This study adopts a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews conducted with twenty-eight fashion and product-development professionals, selected through purposive sampling. The development of fashion designer competencies within SL in this context are analysed and discussed. The study proposes a ‘fashion education ecosystem’ that has emerged from the nexus between formal fashion education and training and professional development within the industry, supporting the upgrading of the industry through the enhancement of designer skills. Sri Lanka, as a small country that depends heavily on the apparel industry for employment and economic development, provides a model for other developing countries seeking industrial upgrading from apparel assembly to design and product development services through the fashion education ecosystem.
item: Conference-Full-text
“Kuweni” the first female ruler : characterization of intangible cultural heritage of folklore
(2021-11-05) Thilakarathne, S.; Gopura, S.; Payne, A.; Wickramasinghe, A.
Folklore can be identified as a collection of information compounded with creativity and reflections of a specific culture which are imparted from generation to generation via oral transmission. Folklore has played a significant role throughout history to define the emotions, lifestyle and characteristics of people in the society through narratives. A significant turning point in the antiquity of the Sinhalese nation, Sri Lanka, is the story of “Kuweni.” In folklore and folk literature, Kuweni is identified as the first female ruler of Sri Lanka. There are different mythical attributes intertwined with the narrative of Kuweni, where she has been identified as the main inducement behind the victory of the Aryan Prince Vijaya (from India) who conquered the country. There were three communities of Yakka, Naga and Deva in Sri Lanka. Kuweni who belongs to the Yakka community, betrayed her own community in order to seize power for the prince. According to the written literature of Sri Lanka, it is believed that the Sinhalese nation originated from Vijaya who captured the power of the country with the help of native Yakka princess Kuweni. Nevertheless, there are some contradictions between the folklore and literature related to the historical phenomenon around the character of Kuweni. Accordingly, the evolution of Kuweni’s character as a young woman to a lover, wife, mother and a single parent finally murdered by her own tribe can be viewed as an inquisitive narrative about power. Through examining folklore narratives, the social and cultural attributes which prevailed at the time of Kuweni reveal her emotional dilemma and her place in the symbolism of Sri Lanka. This study’s purpose is to explore how the character of Kuweni, as the first female ruler, both physically and emotionally embodies a representation of Sri Lankan intangible cultural heritage. The study reviews the literature of an expressively used mythical folklore of Kuweni through undertaking a systematic analysis of the story, drawing on two methods for examining folklore: a scientific and a social scientific approach. Using these approaches, the study reviews the character of Kuweni. This study will largely contribute to the literature of understanding folklore as an intangible cultural heritage and the study contributes to the contextual understanding of emotions, lifestyle, social attributes and power that existed during pre-historic Sri Lanka. The emotional journey of Kuweni will be studied to understand the holistic values embedded in her life. Through revitalizing the character of Kuweni, the study has implications for the contemporary creative industries of Sri Lanka, as Kuweni personifies the contemporary woman with many challenges in the life, and these may be expressed through dress and performance inspired by Kuweni. Kuweni’s emotional journey can be experienced by any woman during a certain stage of her life; therefore, she can be identified as an eternal woman.
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Sri Lankan fashion designers: Self-directed learning in the apparel industry
(2021) Gopura, S.; Payne, A.; Bandara, D.; Buys, L.
The Sri Lankan apparel industry is currently in transition from apparel assembly to manufacturing original designs as a value addition. Design teams work closely with Western brands, buyers and designers to offer advanced creative and technical design services. The purpose of this article is to investigate how Sri Lankan designers acquire personal, high value fashion knowledge and design skills in this crucial time of industry transition. The study adopts a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews conducted with 28 fashion design and product development professionals in the industry. Based on an inductive thematic analysis, the study finds that Sri Lankan designers’ acquisition of high value fashion knowledge and skills comes primarily through their self-directed learning. This study proposes the Designers’ Self-Directed Learning Cycle to illustrate how designers’ learning happens and is applied in their professional practice. The findings are significant in understanding the designers’ practice in the export-oriented apparel value chain.