The wheres & wears of the Singapore Fashion Fest 2002

For those with a passion for fashion, Fashion Festival 2002, which goes on the ramp March 16 and runs till March 31 in Singapore, is definitely wear it’s at. Our very own Donita Rose of MTV Asia with fellow VJ Belinda gets everybody kicking up his/her heels at the Hip Parade, which kicks off the festival on March 16 at One Fullerton Square, a trendy new complex on the waterfront. For 16 event-packed days, people will see new styles unfold in some of Singapore’s trendy venues. All roads (all flights?) may as well lead to this fashion event of the year.

Fashion Festival was initiated last year by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to make Singapore a regional shopping destination for the latest in designer fashion labels. Fact is, some people, label-conscious or not, go to Singapore only to shop – and shop they do till they drop. The Great Singapore Sale is always a much awaited event, as some 2.2 million Asean visitors annually will attest.

Now, fashionistas have more reasons to shop in Singapore. Last year, Fashion Festival showcased mainly international brands with only one local brand included. Organizers received feedback to include local designers in Singapore as well so the festival would be more representative of Singapore’s retail scene.

Thus, this year’s Fashion Festival, organized by MS Twilight with the support of STB, will have homespun Singapore designers (over 18 of them) showing their designs side by side international brands like Armani, Ferragamo, Jean Paul Gaultier, Paul Smith, and Kenzo. It’ll be an international event, all right, but with a piquant local flavor thrown in, so we learn from STB’s assistant managers for corporate and media communications Shien Yau Lim and Edmund Chin Sian Phang. There’s a wide range of latest in fashion, from clothes to accessories and jewellery, cosmetics to fragrances.

Local Singapore designers are one in welcoming the change. Says designer Rosie Liew of GG<5: "Fashion Festival 2002 will help homegrown labels gain some support as international brands. After all, Singaporean designers have what it takes to compete on an international level."

Fact is, so David Wang points out, Singapore designers have an edge because they produce their collections just two to three months ahead of their seasonal launches, thus they are more flexible and have a better pulse of what shoppers want.

Let’s take a quick peek at the what and wear of Fashion Festival 2002.

A fashion event of many firsts, the two-week festival opens on March 16 with deejays and veejays showing off the latest and trendiest labels under Club 21, Singapore’s very own fashion house, with Armani Exchange, Blackjack, CK, Diesel, DKNY, Mambo, and Paul Smith in a first mega street outdoor fashion show to be held at One Fullerton. The nonstop fun will have cocktails at Embargo restaurant and a post-party celebration at Centro Club.

"Fashion in the City" on March 16 and 17 at Raffles City Shopping Centre, jointly organized by Singapore’s Trade Development Board and the Textile & Fashion Federation of Singapore, highlights the latest spring/summer collection which will be available at the stores after the show. The show includes Singapore’s best and brightest designers/labels like additions, Allure, bods.bodynits, BY ICE, celadon, d.po, Flag, Franciz, Forward Statement, f.w.s, GG<5, Heng Nam Nam, IE, is, Melange, M)phosis, naa & co, Paperdolls, and Star Diva. Likewise, students from Singapore’s Temasek Design School and Britain’s top fashion schools are presenting a selection of their best collections.

Also shining is Suntec City Development Pte Ltd as it presents the Face of the Future, a search for two ideal faces who encompass the distinctive qualities of an Asian look.

Hop in and join the "Fashion Express Wear-to-be-Hip" on March 16 and 17 at the Forum featuring the spring/summer collection of the shopping mall’s tenants.

Slated on March 20 to April 3 is "The World of Jean Paul Gaultier; Experiencing Yourself," which promises to be the first hip and fashion-art-making exhibition ever to be staged in the region. It also promises to be full of surprises as Jean Paul Gaultier, known for his unorthodox creations like Madonna’s conical pointy bra, unveils his latest couture collection. For one, guests can look forward to being a Gaultier "model" for a day at the exhibition.

At the Indochine Art Gallery, Blumarine is staging a photo exhibit of designer Anna Molinari from March 21 to 31. The new Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place opens its doors to its first exhibit during the Fashion Festival with Avana boutiques and Georg Jensen teaming up to give guests a double treat of fashion and accessories.

For the first time, the historical Cavenagh Bridge constructed in 1868 is being transformed into a 30m-long catwalk, set against Singapore’s breathtaking skyscrapers, as Kenzo gives viewers a taste of French dressing at French Flair on March 23.

At Raffles Hotel on March 27, designers from India are bound to curry favor as they present their latest haute couture collections. Miss Universe Miss India takes a bow at the finale of "Best of India Haute Couture."

On March 28, Graduate Fashion Week unfolds at Zouk. The Graduate Fashion Week presents the work of graduating fashion students across the United Kingdom and has been known for launching the careers of Britain’s most famous names in fashion.

On March 20-30, meet Fulvio Maria Scavia and be dazzled by his diamond creations at Cortina Watch Gallery, Millenia Walk.

On March 20-24, fashion and technology mix at the Digital Fashion@Funan where design schools highlight the use of futuristic, cyber and digital materials.

On March 19-31, Jurong Point Realty Ltd presents Fashion Fusion 2002 featuring Carrie models at the finale.

Salvatore Ferragamo wraps up the festival with a little Italian touch in "The Italian Connection" on March 30 at Shangri-La Hotel. Adding glitter to the show is Scavia’s Diamonds International Awards jewellery collection.

Now, this is certainly one watch-and-wear affair.