Emerging new wave at MBFWSL
Rising star: A creation by Charuka Gunasekara soon to showcase his designs at the Graduate Fashion Week, London in 2026.
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 contemporary Sri Lankan fashion. From colourful and bold prints to intricate crochet, macramé, metalwork and texture-heavy evening pieces, the collections embraced everything from streetwear and denim to bridal, resort, and accessory-rich outerwear, reflecting the breadth of vision shaping the country’s future designers.
Designers who presented their collections included Praveena Ashani Fernando, Vinuvi Udawaththage, Ayath Ziad, Narmyn Wahyd, Buddhini Rupasinghe, Maria Fernando, Ashnika Abeysinghe, Lalithya Neththasinghe, Flavia Hapuarachchi, Chathuni Jayamohan, Dilum Jayalath, Danara Jayawardana, Senaya Perera, Dulanga Kekulawala, Chenuri Attygalle, Tharindi Seneviratne, Sachini Silva, Swetha Wickramasinghe, Sayuri Samarakoon, Nulara Dissanayake, Sanduni Liyanage Maliduwa, Samindi Parindya Rathnayake, Aveesha Aryaprema, Mareeza Warnakulasuriya, Rahyael de Silva, Sulakshi Fernando, Shami Silva and Charuka Gunasekara, who also secured the coveted opportunity to present his collection at Graduate Fashion Week in London in 2026.
These emerging creators developed their collections through collaborations with leading industry partners, including Avirate, Brandix, Kalaro, Rainco, the Hirdaramani Group, Orit Apparel, Star Garments, Dynawash, MAS Intimates, MAS Linea Aqua, G Flock, Flute Boutique by Andrea Ruwanpura, Homestory, Orient Design, and Suit & Tie by Raphael — collaborations that brought professional insight, technical expertise, and industry-grade craftsmanship to their work.
MBFWSL – the island’s premier fashion showcase connecting Colombo to the global fashion map, and presented by the Academy of Design is a highlight of the Sri Lanka Design Festival now in its 16th year. SLDF also unveiled design exhibitions and graduate showcases, shining a light on the emerging talent from AOD and the country’s design community.
With a plethora of experiences along with the daily ramp shows, the full programme encompassed Mercedes Benz Future Talks – design dialogues with local and international voices exploring the future of design, culture, and sustainability, Designer Pop-Ups, Art Experiences and more, all celebrating design, and reimagining Colombo as a city powered by creativity and collaboration.
For more images from the ramp including the Fashion Talent Runway, please see timesonline.lk
Ayath Ziad
Samindi Parindya Rathnayake
Chathuni Jayamohan
Sanduni Liyanage Maliduwa
Sulakshi Fernando
Dilum Jayalath
Sayuri Samarakoon
Narmyn Wahyd
Ashnika Abeysinghe
Sham Silva
A dazzling parade as the curtain comes down on the second day
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