Singapore Fashion Week (SGFW), our little island nation’s biggest annual fashion event, will return in October 2016 at the National Gallery Singapore with an all-Asian lineup of international and local designers.
The core focus of Singapore Fashion Week this year is to celebrate and honour Asian designers who carved a name for themselves in the international fashion arena, while providing our homegrown designers a platform to present their collections.
Images: SGFW / Guo Pei Spring Summer 2016
For starters, Guo Pei, a renowned Chinese haute couturier, is set to open the festival on October 26, 2016.
Pop culture observers may recognise the designer from megastar Rihanna’s instantly iconic yellow gown at the 2015 Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala.
Naeem Khan Resort 2017
New York-based designer and member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Naeem Khan, will also be making his runway debut in Asia.
He has dressed many high-profile women including the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and more.
Self-Portrait Autumn Winter 2016
Contemporary label Self-portrait, by Malaysian-born and London-based designer Han Chong will be closing SGFW with its Spring 2017 collection on October 30, 2016.
The label is best known for its embroidered lace pieces and has garnered a strong following among both social media starlets and supermodels alike, with Aimee Song, Miranda Kerr and Gigi Hadid all being seen out and about in the brand’s clothing.
Ms Tjin Lee, chairman of SGFW
Ms Tjin Lee, chairman of SGFW says, “While we continue to learn and be inspired by successful designers and labels from the West, the time has come to change the game, with the rise of digital technology and consumer power in Asia.”
Singapore labels are well represented this year. SGFW 2016 will see familiar names like Ong Shunmugam, Exhibit as well as new ones like Arissa X, a womenswear and accessories label by style personality Arissa Cheo which is making its debut.
This year’s SFW will also include a new initiative: Singapore Fashion Week Access (SGFWA).
This sister platform has been created to support the Singapore fashion industry. It aims to provide more accessible opportunities for designers and businesses to showcase their collections through smaller presentations.
The participating local labels for the inaugural SGFWA are Aijek, Stolen, Max Tan and Chi Chi Von Tang.
Finally, you can look forward to checking out the work of new-generation talents – finalists from The Art of Shoes Design Competition 2016 and four Lasalle 2016 graduates Asian labels – Sheranut, Nude Femme, Nida Shay and Mashizan – will also be showing their collections.
