Each day, we put on clothes that do more than just cover up bodies. We choose clothes that represent our personalities, our moods, the times we live in, our ambitions and our desires. In the SriLankan history, there is one man who stand high as a pillar when it comes to fashion whose work is as controversial, and as influential as traditional art. He became known for his glamorous styles, producing dresses using innovative materials which was quite the unthinkable at the time he stepped in to the industry 27 years ago.
Seeing his mom dressing up rather elegantly when he was quite young and following her to designers and salons has open up a whole new chapter in his life. His aunt has further influenced him when she moved in with his family where she had her own clothing business.
These experience had made him realize the power that clothing has, where he believes
“clothing is a language all of its own”
Born in Sri Lanka, Michael became one of the top fashion icons in 1990’s and 2000. Coming back home after completing his higher education in the United States, he took the challenge in building a fashion empire focusing on luxury to women’s fashion. His resulting success, based on the innovation of both his designs and his business practices, made him the most successful fashion designer in the country. His designs been worn by film stars, celebrities, and he became every bride to be’s dream.
Each and every garment he creates is an innovation of his own, which is a unique peace of art and each of it that leaves his studio has been done by his own hands. Most clothes are made specifically for an individual, as in the case of haute couture or bespoke tailoring and he has no
replicas. Although he has a ready to wear line of clothing mostly he’s known as a couture.
Standing high as he can be in the industry and being acknowledge by the honorable President of Sri Lanka for his contribution to the industry, he is one of the most selfless people I have had the privilege to associate. He has taken more than 20 people under his wings who had absolutely no knowledge of fashion or garments, and taught them everything where he was, believe it or not a complete self-taught Artist through trial and error.
A simple man, who live by his rules and a very family oriented where he put most of his time to make people who matters to him happy.
His next ready to wear collection will specifically cater to plus size women where in his eyes, each person should feel confident about their bodies and how they look. It’s an era where everyone wants to squeeze in to a size 8 but not realizing having curves makes a women look more appealing and that is the challenge he took where his next line of clothing will be dedicated for the plus size.
He has been a person who had believed in himself and the God above. Unless you plant your feet firmly on the ground you will lose your identity, thus he is one person who never forgot where he started and who had been there in his pathway lending their hand in many ways in his journey of life.
He is a “Brand” which sometimes impossible to put a price tag to his work of art.
People fall in love with his work, they fall in love with the man behind the work, because of his talent of capturing their eyes and their heart with his selfless personality. That made his clients kept on coming back to him decade after decade as he became a part of their lives that’s not replaceable.
“Miclael” has become an identity for most women as he created their personality through his creations.
A man who loves racing as a hobby, he has many different talents that’s just natural to him. Painting, music, designing furniture and building them on his own are just a few of his aptitudes.
I think creativity is inside him; never been to a fashion school, he is so strong in his thinking and seeing fashion in his own way, the brand “Michael” has no limits.
“Michael” is a name known well in Asia and of course in Europe where people flying just to pick up their dress done by him.
There are many counterfeits and copies for his designs, but none is as close as the bespoke original.
A man who created a ripple throughout the industry of fashion in Sri Lanka is none other than “Michael Wijesuriya” is just “one of a kind” who’s humble enough to know he’s not better than anybody and wise enough to know that he’s different from the rest.
