The Academy of Design (AOD) is renowned for its pioneering efforts to foster creative talent through undergraduate qualifications in design education within key design sectors in Sri Lanka. The Academy places strong focus on the advancement of the country's creative industries through special projects and exhibitions such as the Sri Lanka Design Festival, graduate fashion shows, and public workshops, making an immense contribution to the local design industry by producing proficient designers and creative industry professionals who have carved out a path to take design in Sri Lanka to the next level.

Melanie Wijesinghe

Melanie Wijesinghe, who studied Fashion Design at AOD, is one of the newest entrepreneurs to the design trade in Sri Lanka. While a majority of fashion designers aspire to be involved in Sri Lanka's apparel manufacturing industry, Melanie chose to contribute towards the country's budding fashion design arena, providing a unique concept and commercial platform for upcoming fashion, jewellery and accessory designers to showcase their work.

Melaché, - Melanie's unique fashion studio and boutique which was opened recently in Colombo 4, consists of exclusive clothing, accessories and shoes spread across two tastefully designed floors. The concept at Melaché is to offer customers fashion in the form of art. All styles available at the store are unique and clients are given an opportunity to express themselves in a different and distinctive way through these unusual creations.

"The main attraction at Melaché is that we offer a chance for new and upcoming designers to promote their local labels through our gallery. Our main goal is to promote local talent and offer our clientele a truly new Sri Lankan fashion experience," enthuses Melanie. The boutique also serves as an inspiring studio space where captivating art, photography and similar artistic enterprises are welcome to be exhibited to Melaché's elite clientele.

Referring to the popularity of Melaché, Melanie attributes her education at the Academy of Design as the driving force for her success in the fashion trade in Sri Lanka. "My education at AOD provided the foundation for my career as a fashion entrepreneur, and it gears students to forge their career path from the inception of their studies at the Academy".

Principal at the Academy of Design Mrs. Saluka Kotagama elaborates that, "to be able to see a member of the AOD alumni living her dream and thereby creating a platform to showcase local design talent too is refreshing. AOD alumni are a major strength to the Academy's mission of promoting Sri Lankan creativity and contributing to the country's economy through expanding creative industries."