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Singapore Designers Showcase interviews awol THUMBNAIL

Singapore Designers Showcase interviews awol DECORWhat do fashion designers think about? Is is all just fabrics and cuts and price points?

We chat with the Singapore designers behind the three local labels showing in the Singapore Designers Showcase as part of this year’s Audi Fashion Festival which officially kicks off on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, as part of the Singapore-based Asian Fashion Exchange programme.

First up is Alfie Leong, the designer behind a.w.o.l (all walks of life). Since winning the Singapore Fashion Designer Contest in 1995, Alfie has built an impressive career.

He represented Singapore at Beijing Fashion Week and the Smirnoff International Contest and was in the top 20 list of international designers at the Enkamania International competition, which was judged by Italian Vogue Editor-in-Chief Franca Sozzani, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Donna Karan, Yohji Yamamoto, Peter Lindbergh and Milla Jovovich, in 2001.

In Singapore, Alfie has shown during Singapore Fashion Week, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival, and the Singapore Fashion Festival and done collaborations with both Swatch and homegrown streetwear brand 77th Street.

Alfie’s womenswear label a.w.o.l. (all walks of life) was launched in 2004 to give “everyday people a dose of originality and refinement,” he says.

How important are events like Audi Fashion Festival for developing fashion labels?
It is really important for fashion labels to have platforms like the Audi Fashion Festival, platforms on which they can introduce themselves to the rest of the world. Fashion events like the Audi Fashion Festival put forward the best that Singapore has to offer, alongside other big international brands. It is great that the government and Audi recognise this give Singapore and local fashion the opportunity to shine.

Have you seen a change in Singapore shoppers’ attitudes towards buying local designers? If so, what? If not, what’s your position?
There has definitely been a change in attitude towards homegrown labels. There was a time when we had loyal customers who loved local designers, and would seek us out for something distinct. These days, there is so much more competition.

There are so many stores selling high street fashion, and consumers want variety and are more price sensitive. For the same price, they would chose an international over a local brand. I, for one, refuse to compete on price. I have pride in my creations (even if I, too, have rent to pay). I guess that ultimately the consumer benefits from having more choice.

Where would you like to see you label in 5 to 10 years’ time?
While Europe and America remain key markets for retail, I have an eye on Asia as well. I hope to start retailing in Korea, Thailand, India and China, and would also like to reach out to more countries in the Middle East. I would also like to reach out to more countries within the Middle East. Of course, I will also continue to service the loyal clientele that I have built up in Singapore.

Do you think there is a distinct ‘Asian’ fashion aesthetic? If yes, describe. If not, why not?
If there was a distinct “Asian” fashion aesthetic, I don’t think it exists anymore. The older generation of local designers had so much to be inspired by, from traditional Chinese operas to kampongs. We had little, if any, exposure to the Western world.

Today, technology and social media has put everything at our finger tips, from European magazines to Western films and dramas. Inevitably, that Western influence finds its way into our designs. Take me, for example. I belong to the older generation of Singaporean designers, having experienced “old Singapore” for myself. So I try to infuse some Asian elements into my designs while keeping them modern and relevant.

The Singapore Designer Showcase takes place on May 18 at 5pm at the Tent@Orchard (Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza). Although this is an invitation only event, stay tuned to discover how you can win tickets to attend. Follow @AudiFashionFest on Twitter for updates on the Singapore Designer Showcase under the #SGDesigners hashtag.

To attend other AFF shows, go to audifashionfestival.com/tickets for more information. Audi Fashion Festival runs from May 16 to May 20, 2012. For more information on the complete line-up, go to: audifashionfestival.com/calendar. To win tickets to attend some of the AFF events, go to: Win tickets to catch PARCO next NEXT at Audi Fashion Festival