SITTING quietly in the midst of a fashion-savvy crowd, ITE student Siti Nuraishah was soaking up the atmosphere.

She was among the 70 volunteers who had turned up for the Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX) briefing on Saturday at the *Scape Youth Centre.

After its successful inaugural run last year, the AFX - combining trade show, regional talent search, business networking conference and consumer events - will again illuminate Singapore's fashion scene from May11 to 22.

While most who had signed up were from Singapore's top art schools, Siti, a 19-year-old banking services student from Bishan ITE, decided to volunteer for the event after hearing about it from her teacher.

Siti told The New Paper: "I am looking forward to the event. It's so surreal to be a part of this." Of the 600 who applied to be volunteers, 230 were shortlisted, most of them due to their fashion skills and experience. But AFX organisers added that some were selected because of their passion for fashion.

Juggling studies

Enter Siti, who has no prior experience in the industry and credits popular reality TV fashion design series Project Runway as her inspiration.

She said she might have to miss classes to join the AFX events.

"My exams are close to that period so I will have to try to juggle," she said.

Fellow AFX volunteer, Raffles Design Institute (RDI) student Fernnice Wong, 23, will also take time off school for the AFX.

"I am working on a project and have to attend to my boutique, but I think it's about time management," shesaid.

AFX volunteers are divided into three categories: Dressers, who help out backstage preparing models for the catwalk; goodie-bag packers; and ushers.

Miss Neha Aggarwal, 28, whose family owns a boutique in India, will lead the backstage crew of dressers that include Siti and Miss Wong.

"I was looking for international exposure," said the Indian national who had just graduated from RDI.

"This gives me a bigger platform to cater to the international designers."

The AFX will be divided into four segments, the most glamorous of which is the Audi Fashion Festival which will take place from May 13 to 19.

Household names of the fashion industry such as Antonio Berardi and Angela Missoni will be be making their mark as local and international models strut their stuff down the runway.

Siti will be volunteering for six days out of the 12-day event, working between six to nine hours each day.

She said her parents support her decision.

"They told me to go for it because they know I really like fashion shows. It's not something that I get to do every day," she said.

Ms Joyce O'Dwyer, 34, AFX's project director, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity, but I do not encourage any student to forfeit their studies to participate."

She added that they should do it only if they have time and support on their side.

"If I find someone who is missing school, I wouldn't be happy about that," she added.

Siti's older sister, 25-year-old Siti Amirrah who handles her school affairs, confirmed that her sister was given permission by her ITE to participate.

She said: "It's not like she is playing truant. That (her volunteering) in itself is a learning experience.

"She is going the extra mile for her passion."

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This article was first published in The New Paper.