As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2025 approaches, attention turns toward one of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive creative voices, Nawodha Bandara, the designer behind NAO. Her work stands out for its emotion-driven philosophy and her belief that fashion should reflect truth rather than perfection. This year, she returns to the runway with a collection that celebrates imperfection as beauty, finding grace in what is unrefined and poetry in the unexpected. A graduate of AOD’s BA (Hons

From a childhood steeped in colour, texture, and design to creating a signature fashion brand celebrated for its bold colours and intricate embellishments, Amila Perera has always turned imagination into art. Inspired by his creative parents, nurtured through early mentorship, and honed at AOD, he brings a distinct voice to every collection. Today, as he presents his latest work at MBFWSL 2025, he shares the journey behind AMIRAN, the stories that inspire him, and the vision

As the sun rises over Colombo’s skyline this November, the city will once again find itself at the crossroads of creativity and conversation. Within the futuristic architecture of Cinnamon Life, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Lounge transforms into a hub of ideas, where the boundaries between design, wellness, technology, and culture blur in the most inspiring ways. Returning on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November 2025 , the Mercedes-Benz Future Talks series presents a bol

As anticipation builds for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2025, the air hums with creativity and quiet expectation. This year’s showcase promises to be more than a visual spectacle. It is set to become a conversation about identity, craftsmanship, and consciousness. The runway, a meeting point between heritage and innovation, will bring together designers whose work transcends trend and speaks instead to authenticity. Across regions, from Assam to Colombo, Bhutan to Pondicherry,

A curated look back at standout styles from the 2024 runway. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect this season, with just two weeks to go until MBFW 2025, happening November 19-23.

Redefining South Asia’s Fashion Future From November 19th to 23rd, 2025, the Cinnamon Life: City of Dreams in Colombo will transform into the epicentre of South Asia’s creative renaissance as it plays host to the 9th edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL). Presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and powered by DIMO, the authorized distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka, MBFWSL 2025 is more than a showcase of style, it is a statement about the future of

Linda Speldewinde stands as one of Sri Lanka’s most inspiring figures; a visionary entrepreneur, creative leader, and fierce advocate for women’s empowerment. As the Founder of the Academy of Design (AOD), Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL), and the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), she has transformed the island’s creative landscape, redefining its global identity through design, fashion, and innovation. Her journey is one of audacity and purpose, one that has ins

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and powered by DIMO held its “Destination Island Runaway” on Saturday at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams featuring the work of 18 designers. Pix by Shehan Gunasekara

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and powered by DIMO held its “Future Craft Runway” on Friday at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams. Day 3 featured 18 fashion brands and designers, redefining fashion through sustainable creativity and craftsmanship, while honouring local heritage and successfully adapting it for a global future.  – Pix by Upul Abayasekara

Rising star: A creation by Charuka Gunasekara soon to showcase his designs at the Graduate Fashion Week, London in 2026. By Shannon Salgadoe. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara The second day of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) held from November 19-23, at Cinnamon Life, brought a new wave of rising talent to the fore. The Emerging Designer showcase on Thursday, November 20 saw the ramp transform into a space where unapologetic creativity defined the language of cont

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) kicked off on Wednesday (19) with the Emerging Designer Runway at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams.  Powered by DIMO and presented by AOD Academy of Design. Day 2 featured 28 design collections, showcasing the bold and the brave of Sri Lanka’s next generation of fashion talent. These young stars, challenge conventions with fearless creativity, weaving sustainability, technology, and identity into original statements of style and collections

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) kicked off on Wednesday (19) with Talent Runway at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams. Powered by DIMO and presented by AOD Academy of Design, the event featured 50 collections unified by the climate change theme of fire, molten rocks, hurricanes, and cyclones. AOD, recognised as a sustainable university, presented designs utilising regenerated and deadstock textiles to position fashion as a regenerative industry and revive island craft herita

Shyanika Hewage To champion next era of intelligent luxury Beyond showcase: Driving vision to craft a unique design signature for region Sampath Bank Private Banking announced its role as the Official Banking Partner for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) 2025, presented by Academy of Design (AOD). The partnership brings together two institutions committed to advancing Sri Lanka’s creative economy, strengthening its global outlook and elevating the country’s cultur

Sampath Bank Head of Private Banking Shyanika Hewage Beyond the showcase: Driving the vision to craft a unique design signature for the region Sampath Bank Private Bank has announced its role as the Official Banking Partner for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) 2025, presented by Academy of Design (AOD), and Powered by Dimo.The partnership brings together two institutions committed to advancing Sri Lanka’s creative economy, strengthening its global outlook, and el

A global platform redefining what fashion means for a new South Asia where design meets innovation, mobility, sustainability, and culture Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) returns from 19–23 November 2025, hosted at Cinnamon Life, marking the next chapter of a movement that has reshaped how fashion functions in South Asia. What began nearly a decade ago as a collaboration between AOD and DIMO, the only Authorised General Distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka,

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) returns from November 19–23 at Cinnamon Life, introducing a bold new vision – Design Beyond Glamour. The annual design event reimagines the role of fashion in shaping culture, lifestyle and the future of modern luxury. Under the timeless star of Mercedes-Benz, MBFWSL 2025 looks to transform Colombo into a world where art, technology, mobility and design merge to define intelligent luxury, a philosophy where innovation meets emoti

Presented under banner of Sri Lanka Design Festival, powered by AOD, where intelligent luxury meets regional creativity As global fashion evolves toward a more conscious, culturally grounded, and innovation-driven future, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) 2025 returns under the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) banner, continuing a journey that connects Sri Lanka’s creative talent to the region and the world. Two and a half decades ago, when Sri Lanka’s design stor

By Panchali Illankoon As the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) returns for its 16th edition this November, they are highlighting Colombo and its rich history, culture, creativity and design under the theme ‘What’s Your Colombo?’. Conceptualised and presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and hosted by Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, SLDF 2025 aims to be a citywide movement to position Colombo as South Asia’s next world-class creative capital. Having run a successful #WhatsYo

SLDF 2024 in a new setting: The exhibition space at Cinnamon Life. Inviting schools, students, parents, and industry professionals to meet the makers of tomorrow, AOD’s Create, Meet, Blend (CMB) movement transforms Colombo this November 19–23 with SLDF 2025 For over a decade, AOD has conceptualized and hosted Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) with national and private partnerships, elevating it to one of South Asia’s most potent catalysts for design, innovation, and creative e

As the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) returns for its 16th edition this November, they are highlighting Colombo and its rich history, culture, creativity and design under the theme ‘What’s Your Colombo?’. Conceptualised and presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and hosted by Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, SLDF 2025 aims to be a citywide movement to position Colombo as South Asia’s next world-class creative capital. Having run a successful #WhatsYourColombo storytelling