Sri Lankan Fashion Designers: Self-Directed Learning in the Apparel Industry

Abstract

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.

Weaving emotions: unraveling the emotional significance of Sri Lankan handloom artistry

“…Therefore, as the data analysis has revealed, the personal experiences of handloom artisans can serve as the foundation for a fresh approach to product development. This novel approach to fabric development can encourage collaborations among artisans, expanding the narrative of the fabric and adding significance to the socio-emotional identities of artisans, as noted by Gopura et al (2021). Furthermore, the researchers in this study argue for the incorporation of socio-emotional identities of artisans into the development of new products, using a framework based on the concept of human emotions and the choice of skills.…”

“…The responses of these artisans indicate that the majority of them experienced significant disruptions to their formal education. However, their determination to learn was supported by informal learning, most of which was vocational in nature, as well as through self-directed learning (Gopura et al, 2021). Formal education did not hold a mandatory position in the lives of most of these artisans.…”