2nd Bangkok Fashion Week Kicks Off

[george]

2nd Bangkok Fashion Week kicks off

Bangkok kicks off second fashion show

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok kicked off its second fashion show Wednesday with organizers confident the fashion and trade fair would generate more than 1 billion baht (25.6 million dollars) in purchases.

"I believe that there will be not less than 1 billion baht spending through purchase orders at this event while revenue from exports is expected to increase 20 per cent from that of the previous year," said Pramode Vidhyasuk, director of the Bangkok Fashion City Project.

The first Bangkok Fashion Week was initiated in August as part of the government's bid to turn the capital into a regional fashion hub, in part to boost Thailand's well-established textile and garment industries, which are facing increasing competition from other countries with low-cost labour.

Thai exports of textiles and garments during the first 10 months of 2005 amounted to 5.6 billion dollars, up 5.2 per cent from the same period in 2004, according to government statistics.

To keep its exports competitive, Thailand's government and private sector are hoping to move into higher-quality, locally designed high-fashion products to add value to its locally made garments, shoes and jewelry, a development that the Bangkok fashion shows are meant to facilitate.

Thai brands number 122 at this year's Bangkok Fashion Show, which will be open exclusively to international fashion buyers for the first two days and thereafter will be open to the general public.

Organizers did not reveal how many international fashion buyers had registered to attend this year's show although they expressed disappointed with last year's turnout.

Among the collections on display was one designed by Thai Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, 19, who made her debut at the first Bangkok Fashion show last year.

Her collection this year, inspired by retro fashions of the 1920s, uses Thai silk from her a project initiated by her grandmother, Queen Sirikit.

"I think Thai silk is the most distinctive aspect of Thai design," the princess said at a press conference.

--DPA 2006-03-15