But this time looks different. The Audi Fashion Festival (AFF) is displaying serious pulling power, with an international crowd of trendsetters, industry heavyweights and fashion journalists jetting in.
It is not surprising, since the AFF – which will cost $2 million, twice the amount of last year’s inaugural staging – is just one part of a new mega extravaganza called Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX), to be held from April 28 to May 2.
The AFX is the latest – and boldest – initiative to turn Singapore into the region’s most vibrant fashion hub. Its director Tjin Lee tells The Straits Times: “The timing is right. We have the Formula One and the integrated resorts and Orchard Road has had a makeover.”
There is plenty of fire power behind the push this time as well. Three government agencies – the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and Spring Singapore – have joined forces with the private sector to create this all-encompassing fashion week, one which combines talent development with a trade show and a consumer event.
The AFX has four pillars: AFF, Blueprint, Asia Fashion Summit and Star Creation.
The AFF – privately funded by sponsors like Audi, MasterCard and Samsung – will fly in supermodels Carmen Kass and Song Kyunga, host soirees, and showcase the collections of top designers in a tent outside Ngee Ann City.
Blueprint is a business-to-business fashion trade show to be held at the Pit Building. It will bring together 150 of the most promising local and international exhibitors and buyers, including those from Selfridges, Liberty, Matches and Harvey Nichols.
The Asia Fashion Summit will see 200 creative directors, designers, retailers, brand owners and other heavyweights from Asia coming together to network and discuss industry issues and trends. It is organised by the Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFf).
Finally, the Star Creation competition, also spearheaded by TaFf, aims to suss out local and regional talent. Three winners will each get $10,000 cash, a one-year internship with local fashion powerhouse FJ Benjamin and an opportunity to launch a capsule collection.
All four events will run concurrently.
