Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka opened in Colombo on Wednesday, staged at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams.

The event is presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and powered by DIMO, the only authorised agent for Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka, Daily FT reported. Organisers announced the 7–11 October dates in January.

This year’s edition also marks the Sri Lankan launch of “She’s Mercedes”, which the organisers describe as a space for women to connect within the brand’s community.

Two anniversaries

AOD marks 25 years in 2026, and the organisers say its partnership with DIMO reaches a decade in 2027 — framing this edition as a staging post rather than a milestone in itself.

DIMO Executive Director Rajeev Pandithage said Mercedes-Benz “represents a way of life that cannot simply be purchased from a showroom,” describing the week as part of a commitment to “connecting people through a shared appreciation of design, culture and exceptional lifestyle experiences.”

AOD Founder and Chairperson Linda Speldewinde put the emphasis on commercial outcomes rather than the runway: “Innovation needs places where creative ideas meet people who can help realise them. Our partnership with DIMO brings designers into a community that values design and can become their customers, collaborators and investors.”

The economic argument

The organisers’ case for the week rests less on the shows than on what sits behind them. They point to the chain of work a runway programme supports — designers, garment makers, models, stylists, photographers, production crews and event suppliers — and argue a recurring annual fixture lets those businesses plan around it and gives local labels access to buyers.

They also frame the week as city-centre economic activity, drawing visitors into Colombo’s hotels, restaurants, retail and evening trade.

Disclosure and limits

Daily FT is itself an opening-day partner of the event, and its parent Wijeya Newspapers is among the media backers — so the account above is an organiser-and-partner account, not independent reporting.

Not reported

No designer line-up, show schedule, ticketing or attendance details were given, and no figures were offered for the event’s economic contribution or for the number of participating labels. No other verified Sri Lankan newsroom appears to have published its own report of the opening; the Daily Mirror’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week feature carries no extractable publish date and predates this edition.