Filipino designers encouraged to join AFX’s Star Creation

For the fourth year in a row, Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX) encourages emerging Filipino fashion designers to join Audi Star Creation 2013, a fashion design competition based in Singapore exclusively for Asian talent.

According to Singapore Tourism Board Philippines and Brunei Area Director Sherina Chan, "I think it gives them [Filipino designers] greater exposure to a platform like Asia Fashion Exchange because it's not just [the] domestic market that they are going for. It elevates them because so many buyers come to Singapore to buy Asia.”

Furthermore, with this year’s theme titled “InspirAsian,” Filipino designers around the archipelago who aspire to enter the competition will have a wide array of inspiration to draw from because of the country’s rich culture.

"We're not looking for national costumes, we're looking for fashion basically that has the Asian element to it that you can actually walk down the streets of Beijing to New York,” Chan said.

Since the start of the event, only 12 Filipino designers have tried their luck in the competition and only Cebu-based fashion designer Mike Yapching, with his "Spiral in Motion" in 2011, has made it to the finals.

"What's remarkable about the Philippines is [that of the] hundreds of applicants that we saw in 2011, one Filipino actually managed to enter to the finals. So we do see the talent that here in the Philippines and we hope more people will take part in Asia's Fashion Exchange,” said Chan.

After his journey in Singapore, Yapching’s phone won’t stop ringing—he's now made a name for himself and he now prices his gowns higher than before he entered the competition.

Audi Star Creation can help designers build their brand in the international fashion market.

"It gives them the opportunity to connect with other Asian designers so the networking opportunity is also very good,” said Chan. — BM, GMA News