KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — The inaugural Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW), a collaaborative effort between Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and leading fashion event organiser Stylo International, is on.
Launched in Paris at the World Fashion Week recently, it has been touted as the world’s “Next Fashion Destination”.
Marking its debut as a national and international event, MFW 2014 plays host to Malaysian and international fashion distributors from yesterday until Wednesday with a trade exhibition called Facit (Fashion, Art, Cosmetics, Interiors and Textile), which is further supported by a series of fashion shows and gala events featuring international designers from up to 15 countries from the Asean and Asian region alongside local designers.
The event also marks the first time a dedicated trade fashion event organised by a government agency, the International Trade and Industry Ministry, together with the private sector and its multinational collaborators at an international level.
Ministry secretary-general and MFW adviser Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria said the collaboration between government and private sectors was timely especially for the lifestyle and fashion fraternity as it brings about the much-coveted opportunity for Malaysian designers to showcase their work during the most important trade fashion event.
“It is important to work with the private sector as they have the knowledge on the industry, coupled with the government’s knowledge of local circumstances, it brings together the best in this partnership,” she said.
Although this is only the inaugural MFW, the agency expects to make it a concurrent event-happening of Intrade and MFW annually.
“For us, it is about business and about bringing in buyers, therefore the business matching at the trade event is of utmost importance.”
Facit is the lifestyle component of Matrade’s trade initiative Intrade (International Trade Malaysia), a successful national and international trade fair that has been running for the past seven years.
In its eighth edition this year, Matrade is looking to lifestyle and creativity as key growth areas for Malaysia with special emphasis on fashion, art, cosmetics, interiors and textile.
“With more ministry support, the fashion industry is able to continue churning out and support talents in their pursuit, recognising fashion as a lucrative investment. This will directly improve our exports, raise the profile for Malaysian brands and furthermore encourage us to produce international quality products. It is always so exciting to see the work of young talents and their burning energy.”
Sta Maria said the inclusion of Facit and MFW into Intrade 2014 would help promote the lifestyle sector, particularly the fashion segment.
“The local fashion industry is evolving for the better, thanks to the many sectors working together to promote the industry,” she said.
The collaboration with premier fashion event organiser, Stylo International also brings in an extensive fashion network into the event, especially with the support of its lifestyle partner Mercedes-Benz.
She said the online online platform has made fashion accessible to everyone and has created borderless purchase.
“Malaysia is moving fast in this direction too with a growing number of online fashion sites to keep up with the global fashion industry,” she said.
Mercedes-Benz Stylo Asian Fashion Week chairman and MFW co-chairman Datuk Nancy Yeoh said the digital frontier was not forgotten at Intrade and MFW as for the first time in Malaysia, Asia’s top social media fashion app, WEAR will be featured.
It is an app that links brands and retailers to fashion enthusiasts, allowing direct e-commerce purchases and styling advice.
“WEAR currently has over three million users. With this, we hope that more Malaysian brands will enter the online marketplace and be visible to all the app users and buyers in the international arena,” Yeoh said.
“We have 412 exhibition booths at Intrade 2014 and international media from over 12 countries will be present .This, in itself speaks volumes in regards to where Malaysia lies in the global fashion and lifestyle industry.”
“We expect to see a lot of positive business matching as a result of the inaugural MFW.”
MFW is on at Menara Matrade in Jalan Khidmat Usaha, off Jalan Duta, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, until Wednesday.
For more information, go to www.intrademalaysia.my and mbstyloafw.com or follow the social media pages by searching for Stylo International and MBStyloAFW on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram and by “Liking” the facebook.com/IntradeMalaysia page.
The event will also see the Fashion Week Sale open to the public from 2pm to 10pm on the final day.
