Malaysia Showcases Its Diverse Fashion at the World Fashion Week

PARIS, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia's diverse strengths and heritage in the fashion industry will be on full display at the annual World Fashion Week (WFW) in Paris on 30th September 2014, as MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) and STYLO International promote the upcoming Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW) which will be held from 17-22 October 2014 in Kuala Lumpur.

Over the years, Malaysian fashion designers have made their mark on world of international haute couture and are known for injecting local flavours into their designs that have been worn by renowned individuals from members of the British royal family to Hollywood stars. Malaysian fashion has become a worldwide success due to the country's cultural diversity and dynamic business eco-system that provide natural affiliation with the Western world.

One of such fashion designers, Datuk Professor Jimmy Choo, will be presented with the World Fashion Organisation's Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fashion Week for his lifetime contribution to the growth of fashion on a global level.

Followed by the preview in Paris, the Malaysia Fashion Week 2014 will be held in Kuala Lumpur to bring Malaysian and international fashion distributors with a trade exhibition called FACIT i.e. Malaysia's Fashion, Art, Cosmetics, Interiors and Textile. FACIT is the lifestyle component of MATRADE's trade initiative INTRADE (International Trade Malaysia), a very successful national and international trade fair that has been running for the past 7 years. It will be further supported by a series of fashion shows and gala events.

"In the Government's continuing effort to put Malaysia in the global fashion map, it is important that the country has a defined fashion agenda. A government and private sector collaboration is necessary and we are pleased that MATRADE and STYLO have teamed up to jointly organise Malaysia Fashion Week as well as to establish FACIT, a lifestyle trade exhibition within INTRADE," said Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Secretary General, Ministry Of International Trade And Industry and Advisor to MFW.

Led by MATRADE's CEO Datuk Dr Wong Lai Sum as Chairman and STYLO International's President & CEO Datuk Nancy Yeoh as Co-Chairman, the Malaysia Fashion Week aims to empower the next generation designers such as Joe Chia, Bon Zainal, Melinda Looi and boost Malaysia's retail and fashion exports. This will provide a platform for Malaysia's textile and apparel market to gain worldwide exposure, position and recognition for its unique fashion collection and stage Malaysia as the next fashion destination.

Malaysia has been ranked as the fourth best shopping city in the world by CNN Travel and is known as a duty-free shopping haven. Initiatives such as the Malaysia Fashion Week proves the country's growing capital.

"In order to elevate fashion to the top of the retail chain, institutional trade on a global level needs to exist for our Malaysian brands. Part of MATRADE's plan is to bring Malaysian fashion to all the key fashion markets of the world and these key markets to Malaysia," said Datuk Dr Wong Lai Sum, CEO of MATRADE and Chairman of MFW.

With support from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), MFW will mark the first dedicated trade fashion event organised by a Government Agency (MATRADE) in partnership with the private sector and its multinational collaborators at an international level.

The 2014 INTRADE is expecting over 450 exhibitors from over 30 countries and 300 trade buyers from 17-22 October 2014 and will be hosted at Menara MATRADE, KL. The event will open to the public from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the final day (22 Oct 2014).

The main pillars of the inaugural MFW will include Malaysia Fashion Showcase (MFS), Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week (MBSAFW) and World Fashion Week collaboration during Paris Fashion Week season.

SOURCE Malaysia Fashion Week; The FACIT @INTRADE 2014