RENOWNED Italian designer Roberto Cavalli will present his designs in person for the first time here next month.

He will do so at Audi Fashion Festival – the biggest fashion event of the year – which will also mark his first visit here.

Estonian supermodel Carmen Kass and South Korean model and television star Song Kyunga will model the latest trends on the catwalk at the five-day festival, which is in its second year.

Their appearances are part of the event’s “upgraded quality content” this year, festival director Tjin Lee said.

Among the 11 shows in the April 28 to May 2 event is a fashion show featuring DSquared, a hip Italian label worn by pop stars such as Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and Justin Timberlake.

This year’s show will be staged to the tune of $2 million, double the sum that organiser Mercury Marketing & Communications managed to raise from sponsors last year.

The organiser’s public-relations manager, Mr Albert Pang, said: “It’s a sign that the economy is picking up.”

Like last year, the lion’s share of sponsorship came from German car brand Audi. This year, it gave $1 million. The number of days and shows stays the same.

The organiser expects about 7,000 to 8,000 people to show up this year, about the same as the last year’s turnout of 7,000.

Ms Lee said: “The festival is designed to attract the attention of regional media, designers and buyers... We wish to become a fashion hub for discovery, to bring together designers and buyers from all around Asia to create a platform for East-West networking and exchange.”

The show is part of an annual event called Asia Fashion Exchange, which will be launched next month by International Enterprise Singapore, Spring Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Other events which are part of the exchange are Blueprint, a trade show running from April 29 to May 1, and a fashiondesign competition on April 29.

cheryll@sph.com.sg

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