THEY came, they saw ... and while they weren't quite conquered by what was on offer, the general consensus of the Blueprint trade show was that it was a decently-shod step in the right direction.

Held over Thursday and Friday at the F1 Pit Building, the debut event - part of the inaugural Asia Fashion Exchange - drew buyers from stores around the globe and cyberspace such as the UK's Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Matches Fashion; Korea's J Roseroco; and Internet-based Asos. It was a showcase of work from local and international independent designers, and it comprised display booths as well as regular fashion shows.

As designers fussed with their store layouts and fiddled with their iPhones in between entertaining clients, the buyers flitted from booth to booth. Some they stepped into and others they snapped photographs of, but mostly they just grazed.

'I've seen some interesting things like Ek Thongprasert's silicone and faceted jewellery and Johanna Ho's restructured knitwear, but nothing that's really caught my eye,' said Bridget Cosgrave, Matches' head buyer and British Fashion Council member. What's needed is a deeper sense of identity, she implied, adding: 'When I got off the plane, I said I wanted to see the local designers' work so I was taken to Ion Orchard and Tangs. It seems to me that the whole retail scene here is very Westernised. I would like to see it develop a little more. But it's good that there's a mentoring programme like Star Creation (also part of AFX) to nurture talent.'

Harvey Nichols' menswear buyer Terry Betts hadn't filled in any order sheets either when we spoke to him, but he was enjoying what that indistinct sense of heritage had created. 'There's a whole new wave of creativity here; there are no constraints because there's no history, almost,' was his interpretation. 'It's also a good step to get everyone in one space so you can see how everything is relevant to the region.' But he observed: 'I think there could have been more in terms of accessories. Bags and shoes are a very strong market, so to complete the whole look you need some extra categories.'

There were connections made, of course, such as the one between Asos and local label Raoul - the two companies will be meeting in New York next week to discuss the possibility of working together. Said the website's buyer Jo Hunt: 'International sales for Asos are very important, so we actively look for international brands to showcase. I picked up on Raoul because it's well established, has good price points and also some cute shapes.'

What else is needed to get a store to commit to a label? At a buyers' panel discussion earlier in the week, Ms Cosgrave, Mr Betts and Joseph Quartana of the cutting-edge US boutique Seven New York shared that they were looking for fresh ideas that would 'blow the mind'. Said Mr Quartana: 'People are sick of the same old, same old - a lot of editors skipped the recent Milan Fashion Week for that reason. What we're looking for are designs that are strong and uncompromising, otherwise they get lost in the fray.'

Agreed Mr Betts: 'There's a huge opportunity to come in and grab a share of the market now, and innovation is the key word. As a designer, you should have a clear idea of yourself before you approach us; from there, it's the buyer's job to nurture the brand.'