WRAPPING UP SFW07

October 12 – 21 2007
SINGAPORE

In what was probably the most design-centric Singapore Fashion Weeks to date, SFW07 closed after ten days of frenetic activities and programmes.

In conjunction with SFW07, the event was also the occasion to herald Singapore’s entry into the Asia Fashion Federation. As the first country to be invited to join after the founding members of China, Japan and Korea, Singapore also hosted the AFF Conference on the first day. Many foreign delegates flew in for the annual council meeting including AFF China Chairman Mr Wang Qing from China, Japan Chairman Mr Katsuhiko Hirai and Korea Chairman Mr Kim Jong Bok. All were warmly welcomed by Singapore Chairman Mr David Wang. Future AFF members of Thailand and Vietnam also sent representatives to observe the proceedings. As the AFF Council is only in its fourth year with just four members, it slowly gathering momentum and hopes to augment its strength and base as more Asian countries join in the coming years.

Challenged to bring Asian lifestyle and fashion to the rest of the world, AFF plans to level the playing field by elevating the quality and status of Asian products to compete with fashions from the Western capitals in the time to come. It is not an impossible task since Japan had already taken the lead and achieved some success since the early ‘80s. With the rest of Asia behind, AFF aims to spearhead a new fashion influence and offer the west a fresh perspective that is already attracting much publicity and buyers’ interest. In the meantime, it also realizes this goal cannot be achieved overnight but is a slow and gradual process. A direct result of AFF achievement and collaboration was engaging and linking renowned Japanese designer Atsuro Tayama with Chinese garment manufacturer Hempel to design three labels. All three labels have thus been launched and are retailing well in the China domestic market.

InspirAsian was the high-profile gala to open and celebrate the 20th Singapore Fashion Week 2007 and also to commemorate the 30th anniversary of AFTEX.  Representative delegates from Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam were on stage to receive commemorative plaques to mark the occasion. Held at Suntec Ballroom, the event brought together over 700 guests from the industry, including local and international media, buyers, designers and manufacturers for the season’s high fashion social event.

In line with the evening’s dress code encouraging guests to wear designs by local designers, all the VIPs arrived at ballroom in style by taking the stage and  gliding down the catwalk before settling down at their tables for dinner. Both Guest-of-Honour Minister Lim Hng Kiang and Honorary President of TaFf Mr Edward Ang were dressed by Leslie Chia, who was the winner of the 1992 Singapore Fashion Designers Contest. Mrs Lim was dressed by Daniel Yam, who was also celebrating his 20th year in the industry; whilst Mrs Ang was outfitted by new designer-to-watch Ben Wu. SFW07 Chairman Mr Patrick Lee showcased Crocodile’s recently-revamped line whilst Mrs Lee was resplendent in a dress by veteran designer Celia Loe. Past Chairman of SFW Mr Benny Pua looked smart in his shirt from CYC The Custom Shop while Mrs Pua was pretty in her dress from the label Allure. InspirAsian Chairperson Mrs Lesley Ho looked fetching in her fitted cream and black qipao by designer Peter Kor, whilst her architect husband Mr Charles Ho threw on a shirt from the hot menswear label Raoul.

TOPSHOP & TOPMAN Present FRESH! – The Graduate Showcase was the next event. Four design schools - LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Raffles Design Institute and Temasek Polytechnic - grouped together in a collective effort to present their top graduates and the best of their student fashion work.  Culled from their graduating students and presented in three main categories, the four schools submitted five entries for each of the three categories. The international panel of judges picked the following winners:

• Best Menswear Collection
  - Andrew Tanardi, Raffles Design Institute.
• Best Womenswear Collection
  - Sha Lu Yan, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
• Best Mixed Collection
  - Tsai Ming Hung, Raffles Design Institute
• The Topshop / Topman Best School Collection
  - Raffles Design Institute
• The Topshop / Topman Internship Award
  - Priscilla Tan, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
  (short work stint in London at the design studio of the renowned British chain store retailer)

For Singapore Fashion Designers Contest (SFDC) a total of forty-one (41) entries were received. For the first time in 20 years of the contest, a menswear collection took top honours designed by NAFA-alumni Chia Wei Choong. Runners-up were Franco Tan and Max Tan. The winner took home S$8,000 cash, a BA (Hons) Fashion Design scholarship sponsored by Raffles Design Institute (in their Singapore campus) and an internship programme with international designer Vivienne Tam in New York. Likewise first and second runner-ups won S$4,000 and S$2,000 cash respectively, with S$500 cash for the other finalists.

For the Asian Young Fashion Designers Contest (AYFDC), the winner and first runner-up of SFDC joined eight foreign contestants from five countries, namely China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to vie for the top prize at AYFDC. Host country Singapore came up tops with Chia Wei Choong’s My Escapist Fantasy menswear collection. Runners up were Ye Jon Park from Korea and Yee Kar Juen from Malaysia. The three presiding judges were Mr Tan Yoong, Singapore’s foremost fashion designer; Mr Edward Enrique, New York-based fashion consultant; and Mr Colin McDowell, London-based veteran fashion journalist. Apart from the attractive prizes, the winner also received an internship programme in the United Kingdom with a British designer as selected by Mr McDowell.

The core event of SFW07, The Designers Show (TDS) was spread over three days. At the opening ceremony and with Minister of State Mr Lee Yi Shyan in attendance, Singapore officially joined the Asia Fashion Federation (AFF) with a signing ceremony preceding the opening show of a preview capsule show of AFF-representative designers. This was a fitting prelude since this TDS had the biggest grouping of 31 Singapore and regional designers. In all, an unprecedented number of twelve debuting local designers, joined twelve experienced names, and seven regional counterparts to bring a hectic schedule of shows in the down-town venue of 72-13 TheatreWorks. Highly anticipated and well attended shows included regulars like Francis Cheong, Allure and Celia Loe, to fresh labels like Santorini and Alkeme by veteran designer Sylvia Lian to regional labels like Tangy by Liang Zi from China and the New Generation group showing of Gallo (Malaysia) by Teresa Thian, harryhalim and Posse (both Singapore).

In previous years under the Hosted Buyers & Press Programme supported by the Local Enterprise and Association Development Programme (LEAD), Singapore’s Abyzz, Allure, Celia Loe, Daniel Yam, IS, Tian, WOMB and others had found new exporting markets for themselves to countries like Middle East, USA, Europe, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and others. The success of TDS was further enhanced with the introduction of the ACCESS USA Programme in 2005 as a means for Singapore designers and labels to gain entry to and succeed in the tough USA market by providing the designers with logistic, administrative and creative support with a full time office in New York to manage the designers’ business in the US. This year, the US consultants selected another handful of new designers. Their suitability and participation in the programme will be confirmed only after they undergo an interview and business assessment by the panel.

Post–show activities at the on-site showroom was also rife with action. After four days, the collective confirmed sales orders for the 30-odd individual spring / summer 2008 collections topped S$1 million, with more under negotiations. Over 70% of all the TDS participants received orders.

Running concurrently with SFW07, the Fashion Tech Solutions Conference touched on various aspects of fashion, textile, business and technology. It was, as always, specially designed for all the manufacturers, retailers, designers, buyers, entrepreneurs in the textile and fashion industry. The three-day professional conference included the Asia Fashion Federation Seminar with the topic of “Asia Fashion Trends – From Retail to the Streets” presented by keynote speakers from four member countries of China, Japan, Korea and Singapore.  The presentation topic covered the latest fashion trends from the AFF member countries, including the respective countries’ retail market conditions, street-wear trends and information on how a foreigner brand can enter the retail market. Representing Singapore, Ms Helen Khoo, Executive Director of Wing Tai Retail, brought the seminar to its peak with her presentation topic on “Fashion Retail Singapore against the changing face of Retail Industry in SE Asia & the World”. Undoubtedly, this AFF seminar achieved unprecedented success with a full house registration. Delegates who were here to observe from Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam were motivated enough to show a commitment in seeking membership and admission to the AFF in the coming years for their respective countries. 

Our second and third day of the professional conference, the focuses were on International Trade, Business Risk Issues and Eco Textiles. The top topic was “Understanding and Preparing for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations” presented by Brenda A. Jacobs, a US Washington based attorney also serving as Senior Counsel for Trade Agreements at the U.S. Department of Commerce. In all, the three days brought together over 300 delegates and professionals. Significantly there was an increase in the number of overseas delegates with representatives from Japan, Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Greece, Israel, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Clearly this conference has grown from its regional role to that of an international contact hub to share ideas, discuss the latest international issues and delve into the future challenges facing the fashion and garment manufacturing industry.

The final SFW07 shows were held at Zouk Club where the legendary Wrap Party, did a send-up of 20 years of Singapore fashions with numerous gender-bender acts on and off stage. Wildly exaggerated and humorously banal, feathers flew as sequins fell amidst inflated bosoms, swishing gowns and teetering high heels.