The first edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion and Apparel Awards Sri Lanka concluded on a high note with a dazzling night that awarded ten proud winners. This prestigious event that marked the pinnacle of Sri Lankan fashion recognised and celebrated the most influential personalities, organisations, partnerships and initiatives that have shaped Sri Lankan fashion and apparel into the most powerful export industry of the nation.
The highlight of the Fashion Runway Show was the Mercedes-Benz Fashion and Apparel Awards, where the individual designer awards were won by Amesh Wijesekera (student/graduate industry collaboration award), Shayani Alwis (own brand award/individual), Prabath Samarasuriya (sustainable fashion design – craft) and Janaka Ulandupitiya (emerging designer award).
Industry design awards were won by Alvin Pasangha (industry young blood designer award), Star Garments (game changer through innovation), Norlanka (design and detail excellence in casual wear award), EKKO (own brand award/industry), Orient Design, with innovative knitwear (specialist products and accessories award) and MAS Intimates (design and technical excellence in constructed apparel award).
The winners were selected by a panel of three international judges consisting of Peter Ingwersen, former creative director at Day Birger Mikelson and former brand director at Levi’s Europe, Jane Rapley OBE, professor emeritus, Central Saint Martins, Jane Rapley OBE, who has served for 17 years as Dean at Fashion and Textiles, Central Saint Martins, and Stuart MacLeod, who was educated in Northumbria University, and has a BA (Hons) degree in fashion design.
The Mercedes-Benz Sustainable Fashion runway focuses on presenting sustainable apparel by various designers, and similar events were held in other countries.
