Founded in Sri Lanka and launched at Colombo Fashion Week in 2013, Amilani Perera is a luxury fashion brand known for its unique ready-to-wear collections and strong social mission. Now registered in Australia and a member of the Australian Fashion Council, the brand advocates for women affected by violence through a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), involving survivors in product development and mentoring programs. Amilani Perera has showcased internationally, including at the Ultra Luxe Fashion Show in Singapore (2024), Asian Designer Week in New Delhi (2016), and USA-Sri Lanka Fashion Week in New York (2017). The brand also serves as the official designer for the Airport & Aviation Services of Sri Lanka. Founder Amilani Perera, a graduate of Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, has worked with prominent global manufacturers such as MAS Holdings (amanté) and Arvind Lifestyle Brands, bringing a wealth of international industry experience to her label.

The Melbourne Made 2025 collection by Amilani Perera pays tribute to iconic 1960s Australian designer Mr. Simon, celebrating women’s freedom of expression through versatile, transformable, and gender-fluid designs. Inspired by his bold aesthetics — from menswear-inspired pant suits to metallic plating in evening wear — the collection features metallic detailing and signature stripes of Mr Simon’s designs , crafted in handloom fabric weaved by survivors of gender-based violence in Sri Lanka, embodying empowerment, resilience, and the brand’s ongoing commitment to advocacy through fashion.

​Melbourne Made 2025 – Designer Statement by Amilani Perera

In the 1960s, Mr. Simon made a revolutionary impact on Australian fashion by giving women the freedom to express themselves through bold and unconventional clothing choices — from introducing pant suits inspired by menswear to exploring metallic plating in evening wear. His work was more than just fashion; it was a statement of women’s rights and empowerment.

Deeply inspired by this movement, I am honouring Mr. Simon’s legacy through my Melbourne Made 2025 collection. The collection is a tribute to the freedom he championed — the freedom for women to choose how they present themselves, wear what they want, and redefine femininity on their own terms.

Each garment in this collection is designed to be versatile and transformable. At first glance, the pieces may appear to be deconstructed elements such as rectangular fabrics with metallic rectangular trinkets and straps, all referencing Mr. Simon’s signature collection aesthetics. However, with the addition of another iconic element of his work — the bow — these pieces come together into wearable, styled outfits that allow for complete self-expression. They can be adjusted to suit any preference, transcending gender norms and embracing unisex styling.

As a brand, Amilani Perera has consistently worked to promote women’s empowerment and to raise awareness against gender-based violence. Since 2020, we have been a proud partner of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), collaborating activity by using fashion as a platform for advocacy and change.

For this collection, striped handloom fabric created by survivors at the Women’s Development Centre in Kandy, Sri Lanka are featured— a powerful symbol of resilience and strength. Everything about this collection is Melbourne Made: born of community, collaboration, and craft. It is a celebration of heritage and progress, and of different roots, which honours the past while dressing the future. As a fellow woman, this is my way of honoring Mr Simon and Melbourne, with courage, purpose, and intent.

— Amilani Perera