Singapore Fashion Festival 2007
Presented by MasterCard and made possible by the Singapore Tourism Board
23 March – 1 April 2007
The Tent at Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road
Singapore

Singapore Fashion Festival 2007

The region's most glamorous festival will once again present the best emerging and established designer collections with an ultimate style-charged experience for all fashion enthusiasts to enjoy. The Singapore Fashion Festival, presented by MasterCard and made possible by the Singapore Tourism Board, runs from 23 March to 1 April 2007 and showcases the latest collections directly to the public and new season shoppers.

The Festival is embraced by Asia's most fashion-forward retailers along Singapore's most famous shopping street, Orchard Road, as well as in the neighbouring Marina Bay fashion precinct and boasts an engaging 10-day schedule of events that profiles the best trend-setting looks from premium local designers to international luxury fashion brands. As a beacon to all festival-goers, style headquarters will again be located in the heart of Orchard Road at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza, in a purpose-built tent structure that will host a multitude of gala events and memorable runway shows.

Fashion enthusiasts have the added opportunity to purchase the hot new looks seen on the catwalk of the Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 from leading shops in Singapore. This is a unique feature of the Festival, which enjoys the support and involvement of the industry at large including leading designers, retailers, brand owners, international celebrities, models, fashion insiders and the media.

Honouring its stance as one of Asia's most influential public fashion events showcasing the latest Spring/Summer 2007 and Fall/Winter 2007 collections, straight from the world's top shows in New York, Paris and Milan, Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 is proud to announce that international designer to the stars, Matthew Williamson, will make his full scale fashion runway debut in Asia. The boy from Manchester will reinforce why he is a celebrity favourite to the likes of Jade Jagger, Helena Christensen and Kate Moss. Williamson joins an internationally-acclaimed list of designers showcasing their collections during the Festival, including Vivienne Tam, who will personally present her Fall/Winter collection hot off the international runway, direct from New York.

Asian beauty is being celebrated worldwide and the Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 is committed to bringing festival-goers some of the world's top models such as Ai Tominaga who will walk the opening show, and Anne Watanabe who will walk the closing show.

Shopping is a key component of tourism in Singapore, accounting for nearly half (46 per cent) of total expenditure by visitors. In 2005, visitors spent S$3.26 billion on shopping, with fashion and accessories being the most popular item purchased. Events like the Singapore Fashion Festival reinforce Singapore's position as a premier hub for fashion shopping in the region, drawing fashion-followers from the region to shop for fashion.

Said Dr Chan Tat Hon, Assistant Chief Executive (Leisure), Singapore Tourism Board,

• "Bolstering Singapore's standing as a fashion hub is an integral part of our tourism strategy toward achieving our vision of attracting 17 million visitors and recording S$30 billion in tourism receipts by the year 2015. The Singapore Fashion Festival has helped brand our city as one of Asia's fashion retail hubs and a compelling destination for fashion shopping, offering the latest trends and unique shopping experiences. We will continue to focus on efforts to host signature events such as this and to develop the overall shopping landscape as well as Orchard Road."

Dr Chan added that the Singapore Fashion Festival is among a host of premium events held during March and April, including the World Gourmet Summit, Mosaic Music Festival, The Crystal Mirror, Phantom of the Opera, art auctions and many other first-rate offerings. "Such events help to profile the city as an exclusive destination with distinctive lifestyle experiences for the well-heeled."

"Singapore has solidly earned a reputation for staging the one of the largest and most glamorous consumer fashion events in the World and IMG FASHION-PICO is proud to be a partner with the Singapore Tourism Board, as the event producers. We are also extremely excited to welcome MasterCard to the Festival, and its partnership, will help the event to become even more significant regionally and firmly position Singapore as an important fashion shopping destination in Asia," said Festival Director and Managing Director of IMG FASHION Asia Pacific, Mr. Simon P. Lock.

Through its partnership with the Singapore Fashion Festival 2007, MasterCard is heralded as the ‘fashionista' preferred card as the presenting sponsor of the Festival, further strengthening MasterCard's retail platform across the Asia Pacific.

"MasterCard's sponsorship of the Singapore Fashion Festival is an extension to its retail leadership, and is supported by its vast knowledge and rich insights into Asian consumers. This sponsorship provides us with a platform to enhance our customers' premium portfolios and strategy through an entire spectrum of privileges to help cardholders celebrate and enjoy fashion," said Andre Sekulic, president, Asia/Pacific, Middle East & Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

Last year the Festival put on an event to remember. It raised the bar with an international profile like no other. Stars lured to the style capital included international model Lily Cole, Korean film stars Kim So Yeon and Kim Sung Min and fashion royalty Salvatore Ferragamo Jr. Premium luxury brands such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Salvatore Ferragamo, Diane von Furstenberg, Escada and Ashley Isham hit the Singapore catwalks and local success stories like alldressedup, Francis Cheong, Posse and Frederick Lee took the market by storm. Following on from such success, 2007's Festival is aiming higher and is on track to present the biggest consumer fashion event ever witnessed in Asia-Pacific.

Singapore – A Regional Hub For Fashion And Leading Shopping Destination

• The Singapore Fashion Festival is held during the March/April premium season in Singapore, where distinguishing and unique lifestyle events and experiences await the visitor. Well-heeled and discerning travellers can view and purchase high-end designs by international fashion houses at the Festival, partake in the gastronomic delights prepared by world-acclaimed chefs at the World Gourmet Summit, take in a world-class performance at the Mosaic Music Festival, catch The Phantom of the Opera musical, or enjoy a memorable evening dining on lavish gourmet fare while enjoying world-class acts in the mirrored tent at A Crystal Mirror, aside from other exclusive entertainment and lifestyle events.
• The Singapore Fashion Festival plays a significant role in positioning Singapore as a key regional fashion hub with the latest collections being showcased, including Fall/Winter collections, straight from the international runways.
• It promotes Singapore as the leading fashion shopping destination in the region all year round. The Festival period is also the best time to shop for fashion in Singapore where the most diverse range of latest fashion collections are launched and retailed.
• Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 profiles Singapore as the destination of choice for well-heeled visitors seeking the latest trends and the most exciting shopping experiences in the region.

Embracing Asian Beauty

• Some of the most elegant and professional top international Asian models the world has ever seen, have been hand picked from around the region and will grace this year's Festival.
• Anne Watanabe from Japan, is just one of the confirmed internationally in-demand models to grace the catwalks at this year's Festival. One of Japan's rising stars in the fashion world, Anne is the daughter of Japan's most successful actor of recent times, Ken Watanabe.
• Born in Tokyo, Anne is just 22 years of age. She has appeared in campaigns for Anna Sui and has modelled extensively for Vivienne Tam. Anne has also graced the catwalks for Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfilger, Louis Vuitton, Viktor & Rolf and Karl Lagerfeld to name just a few.
• Ai Tominaga is one of the word's leading supermodels. She has appeared on the runway for some of the world's leading designers including John Galliano, Vivienne Tam, Christian Dior, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino, among others. An editorial regular, Ai has appeared in many magazines including Vogue (American, French, British, Japanese, Russian and German) and iD and been shot by influential photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, Nick Knight and Steven Meisel. She has been featured in campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Banana Republic.
• With her tall feminine form, Ai has, in a few short years, reached the modelling elite.

Luxury And Premium International Brands

Singapore prides itself as sitting alongside the fashion capitals of the world: the Festival and its audience will be privy to the collections from a multitude of luxury and premium international brands. Among the firsts that the Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 is chalking up are:

• Opening the Festival on Friday 23 March will be Vivienne Tam who will fly to Singapore to present her latest Fall/Winter 2007 collection, hot off the runway of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Some of Vivienne's celebrity clients include Julia Roberts, Madonna, Heather Graham, Sarah Jessica Parker and Beyonce.
• Making his inaugural debut onto the catwalk in Asia is UK supremo Matthew Williamson. Originating from Manchester, the show by the St Martin's (UK) graduate who also took over as Creative Director at LVMH-owned company Emilio Pucci, will be the finale to Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 on Sunday 1 April.
• One of Italy's leading luxury brands, Aigner, will be showcasing its latest Fall/Winter creations.
• French Haute Couture designer John Luc Amsler will personally present a collection for Waterman.
• A group show of Luxury Menswear brands will appear on the Festival catwalk for the very first time

Championing Singapore Design Talent

• 2006 was alldressedup's most triumphant year to date, with a sell-out show during last year's Festival and a highly successful promotional trip to Paris. alldressedup returns to the stage again this year with a fresh and stylish take on ‘Gatsby' inspiration.
• In a bid to unearth Singapore's ‘Next Generation' of home-grown talent, the Festival's Official Mobile Partner, Nokia, presents the Nokia L'Amour Young Designer Show, featuring Burgundy, Harry Halim, Abyzz and Ueno along with the winner of the Nokia Singapore Designer Award.
• Singapore Fashion Festival 2007's Official Beauty Partner, L'Oreal Paris, presents Baylene.
• The designer renowned for bringing ‘bling' to the catwalk, Francis Cheong, has teamed up with Singapore jewellery icon and the Festival's Official Jeweller Lee Hwa.
• The Textile And Fashion Federation (TAFF) will present a group show entitled `Singapore Fashion Rules' featuring Individual Expression, NESS, Nicholas, Womb and Tian.

Designers From Around The Region

• Leading Shanghai-based couture and ready-to-wear fashion designer, Lu Kun, will fly to Singapore to showcase his Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter collection for the first time in Asia on the Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 catwalk. Festival goers will have the opportunity to see his ready-to-wear and haute couture gowns.
• Designers from India will personally fly into town straight from Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai to present the latest collections from ‘small shop' by Anshu and Jason from Bangalore, Savio Jon from Goa, and Priyadarshini Rao. Indian designers continue to fascinate and inspire the fashion industry world-wide and Singapore Fashion Festival 2007 provides the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience these wondrous designs.