Fashion Search 2026

Every designer remembers the first time they showed someone an idea they really believed in. Fashion Search gave aspiring young designers a place to do exactly that. Presented by AOD and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka, the 2026 edition took place on 7 October at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams.

Fashion Search brought young creatives into the world of Fashion Week while they were still discovering what kind of designers they wanted to become. At that stage, a sketch, a fabric choice or the way you put a look together can tell you a lot about what interests you. Sharing an idea gives you a chance to put those instincts into words and see what someone else picks up on.

Opening day gave that experience a bigger backdrop. The same venue was home to AOD’s Next Gen runway, where graduating students were putting years of design work in front of an audience. It was a chance to see two points in a designer’s journey side by side, right at the start of Fashion Week.

There was room to see how other young creatives approached the same field, too. Being part of Fashion Week made it easier to picture where a first idea might lead.