Thailand travel news - Bangkok

Hive of activities

Bangkok Fashion Week is one of the 11 projects comprising the Bangkok Fashion City Project. The main purpose of this endeavor is to enhance the international image and credibility of brand-name Thai fashion products and promote their sale in markets around the world. Ultimately, this event seeks to make Thailand the high-quality fashion centre of Southeast Asia.

Bangkok Fashion Week is considered Thailand 's first major fashion event of international standards. It is supported by the government sector with the cooperation of the private sector in all three fashion industries: textiles and garments, gems and jewellery, and leather goods.

The Fashion Week project also aims to promote Thai products and give them a brand identity that will allow them to gain acceptance in the world market. This should allow Thailand to become the centre for quality fashion in the region.

Bangkok Fashion Week will be held twice a year, at the same time as other international fashion weeks. This year, Bangkok Fashion Week 2005 will take place from August 17-21. For five consecutive days activities will include catwalk shows by international and Thai designers, exhibition and designer showcases, graduate fashion week, the jewellery gala night, a trade fair, seminar sessions, plus the After Party closing event.

Participating in this year's event are well-known fashion houses including Playground, HeadQuarter, S318, Sretsis, Som-Chai Kai, Issue, Tube Gallery, Metta, Muse by Good Mixer, Mae Fah Luang, Grey, Nagara, Flaynow, Senada Theory, munchu's, Ab-Normal, Pusita, Medium-Rare, Zenith, Kloset, ANR, Kit-Ti's Jewelry, Boudoir, Good Mixer, Weerasak and more.

The second Bangkok Fashion Week will be held from March 15-19, 2006, during which awards will be presented to those in the fashion industry for their achievements and successes. Both events will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and the adjacent Benjakitti Park .

The Bangkok Fashion Week 2005's seven main events are:

THE CATWALK SHOWS

- Over 30 Thai designers, and a select number of international designers, will have their creations showcased under the Fashion Dome at Benjakitti Lake _ a majestic air dome constructed over the middle of the lake. In addition, HRH Princess Siriwanwaree will present her collection at a premier show at the grand opening on August 17.

The main daily Catwalk Shows at the Fashion Dome will highlight leading designers of established brands, while the daily Super Catwalk Shows at Plenary Hall, QSNCC, will feature independent shows highlighting the work of younger, up-and-coming designers including students of fashion institutes around the country whose work is outstanding and unique.

THE EXHIBITION & DESIGNER SHOWCASE

- More than 150 brands from the textile and garment industry, the jewellery and accessory industry, and the leatherwear industry will showcase their outstanding creations. The "Designer's Showcase" will represent the best of Thai design to the world. Other sections of the trade fair will present design works by students of various fashion design institutes, with consultations offered to those interested in studying in this field. It will be held in the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre's Plenary Hall at the same time as the catwalk shows during the five days of fashion week.

TRADE FAIR

- The Trade Show will see more than 150 brand names joining together under one roof to meet potential buyers from overseas. August 17-18 will be reserved for trade-to-trade discussions, while the fair will be open to the public from August 19-21.

SEMINAR SESSIONS

- To provide a more solid base for fashion entrepreneurs and the general public, seminars will also be given by specialists in the fashion industry, both local and international.

GRADUATE FASHION WEEK

- The Graduate Fashion Week will feature independent catwalk shows by fashion students and well-known brands in parallel to the main catwalk shows, as well as a Fashion Academy Exhibition called "Fashion Nipon" by students from the high-end textile/garment, gems/jewellery, and leatherwear industries from local and overseas universities and institutes.

JEWELRY GALA NIGHT

- The Jewelry Gala Night dinner aims to be a glittering celebration of the creativity and ability of designers and manufacturers in the fields of gems and jewellery that are acknowledged by the world market. Attending the event, which will take place on August 19 at the Grand Ballroom of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, will be distinguished guests, industry professionals and the media. One of the event's highlights will be the auction of semi-precious stone jewellery destined to aid a tsunami charity, with the help of a world supermodel.

AFTER PARTY

- August 21's farewell extravaganza "After Party" will conclude Bangkok Fashion Week 2005 and celebrate the success of the fashion world's eminent figures, together with all who participated in the organisation of the event. Industry members and the media will be able to meet in an informal atmosphere to exchange greetings, ideas, and plans for new partnerships in fashion.
Bangkok Post 5 August 2005 www.bangkokpost.com