For the past one week, Singapore became the epicenter of Asian fashion. Audi Fashion Festival 2013 had seen well-known designer across Asia and beyond bringing their latest creation and swept the runways which presence still lingering on our shore.
This year Audi Fashion Festival Singapore 2013 celebrated its 5th anniversary with a landmark move, headlining designers and a stellar line-up of fringe events and after-parties. The festival moved from its location at Ngee Ann City to Marina Promenade. With a new waterfront location against the backdrop of Singapore’s skyline, the tent was 40% larger and was targeted to attract more than 20,000 visitors.
The festival themed “Crafting the Future” had definitely seen Singapore positioning itself not only for the fashion industry here, but discovering new talents to start their career in fashion and contributing towards the development of Singapore as a fashion city.
We were honoured to have legendary designer Mrs Carolina Herrera on her first-ever appearance in Asia together with her daughter Carolina Herrera de Báez. The opening show by The House of Herrera comprises looks from the Fall 2013 collections of Carolina Herrera New York and her luxury lifestyle brand CH Carolina Herrera.
The House of Herrera Fall 2013
Desigual A/W 2013
Never a dull moment with Spanish label Desigual whose brand aim to “dress people, not bodies”. The free-spirited energy and the brand’s signature design, intense prints, innovative graffiti art and flamboyant splashes of colours had enthralled the audience.
Desigual A/W2013 was inspired by a story of requited love for their customers with love themes including – Sex, Fun and Love – showcased throughout the collection. There was no sign of somber colours in this autumn/winter collection as Desigual are all about colours. Definitely this is the collection that could last you all season.
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GISELLAblu and Aurora Wild Showcase
Dubai-based label, GISELLAblu was introduced to Singapore for the first time at AFF. I absolutely adore the print suits. Being all suit-up doesn’t need to be tense looking. There’s few pieces from this collection that’s fit for office wear, trendy and chic without being inappropriate.
The collection set out to filled the niche between couture and standard “off-the-rack” fare, pioneering the idea of luxury prêt-a-porter with beautifully made clothing that projects a sexy, effortless femininity.
The models were adorned with gorgeous footwear from Aurora Wild – known for its unapologetically glamourous yet wearable designs – feminine shapes with harder detailing from studs, crystals and zips to buckles. The labels showcased variety of design from Grecian and one shoulder floor-length dresses, two-tone body-con and printed graphic fabric stands out with its simplicity cutting.
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Ong Shunmugam
Moving away from her usual qipao and sari, designer Priscilla Shunmugam still very much rooted to her culture and Singapore’s heritage as seen in her latest collection. Her collection titled “Whenever I Fall at Your Feet” was closely inspired by Singapore’s historic heritage buildings. It was nothing neared to avant-garde or couture design, but the silhouettes was sharp and right to the point!
Armour like shoulder cuff, sharp cutting neckline collar, flirty A-line and peplum skirt took a modern twist to her inspiration from Singapore’s history. I love how Priscilla Shunmugam made traditional fabrics like batik and songket looks so relevant and edgy on the runway. Print-on-print with a mix of Asian flavour never looked so fashionable like Ong Shunmugam did with its Fall/Winter 2013 collection.
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Jun Okamoto
As one of the upcoming brand in Tokyo fashion scene, Jun Okamoto debut his first runway show in Singapore during Audi Fashion Festival. The unique mix of “Innocent colours” and feminine motifs are intrinsic blended in both ladies and men’s clothes. The runway show was a combined collection from his Spring/Summer 2013 “Flowers, Ballons and A man who brings rain” and 2013/14 Autumn/Winter “A sweet breakfast for her who dislikes coffee”.
In both of these collections, Jun Okamoto brought us back to nature, when life was simpler. Sound of music lullaby, birds chirping in the background and models taking their time walking down the runway were not the usual scenes in a fashion show. Such demure and innocent collection portrayed by a young Japanese designer whose inspiration are very often set in poetic and melancholic mood from which very much reflected visually onto his clothes.
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