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A January 1, 2007 posting on the stylebubble.typepad.com website begins with this quotation from the well known designer Coco Chanel. "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."
What follows is a brief summary of one fashion editor's view of developing Asian fashion trends-subjective (as opposed to objective statistical analysis) but nonetheless based on expert opinion.
The editor remarks that the trends she observes in Hong Kong markets are the seeds of what develops elsewhere in the fashion world-her example being London. Most of the trends she observes have the ability to transcend markets, but some of them are essentially local and bound to stay that way.
Among the most prevalent of such trends is the looseness of fit of many of the garments the editor saw. She speculated that such looseness, referred to as 'volume', has to do with the fact that Asian women are more slight of stature than their western counterparts.
Some of these 'loose' garments, however, are stylish enough to cross international boundaries. But the idea of 'looseness' as a way of dressing overall is likely to remain in Asia.
The editor, reviewing one "sack-like dress" reported that from what she sees on the streets it "is pretty much a permanent fixture."
The 'loose' style also translated into a 'volume' look in 'pouffy' skirts. This is seen repeatedly on the street and in the stores.
In terms of style icons, animal prints proliferate in Asia, but, again these prints are adopted only selectively internationally. This has to do with another specific phenomenon local to Asia. And it has to do with the self image many Asian women have of themselves. The editor identifies this as a "Peter Pan syndrome." And she defines it in marketing terms this way. The image refers to, "looking like a cute girl is preferable to [a] sophisticated woman."
In terms of colors, red is prominent in Asia. This trend is derived from China where the color red is considered lucky. The editor also speculated that the appearance of the color red in fashion shows contributed to its popularity.
The trend toward layering is catching on in the west, but in Asia layering "is just a routine." And in leather goods, patent leather is popular, "in all the colors of the rainbow."

The Royal Thai Government’s Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, is joining forces with the fashion and leather industry to demonstrate Thailand’s and ASEAN’s strengths as the hub of fashion and leather industry in the upcoming Bangkok International Fashion Fair & Bangkok International Leather Fair 2009 (BIFF & BIL 2009).
Set for August 13-16, BIFF & BIL 2009 in Bangkok will showcase a full range of fashion and leather products under the theme of ASEAN Fashion Plus to make this fashion expo, which is the biggest in the region, truly a one-stop center for people in the fashion and leather industry.
BIFF & BIL has earned its name as a perfect trade show of sourcing products, networking with partners and updating on the latest advancements in the fashion and leather industry. This year, BIFF & BIL 2009 will focus on becoming the region’s fashion center through a fashion extravaganza featuring the works by well-known designers from Thailand and ASEAN countries.
As part of ASEAN’s combined forces to become another fashion center in Asia, BIFF & BIL 2009 will also feature seminars and exhibitions on fashion and leather designs. Many innovative products in the textile and garment industry will also be unveiled, all of which are the fruits of creativity and hard work of Thai researchers. These innovations include anti-bacteria fabrics made from polyester mixed with coconut charcoal powder, anti-bacteria, anti-dust mite, herb-coated bed sheet, anti-bacteria nylon socks; solar-powered jackets; heart rate monitoring jackets, and special jackets for extreme cold weather.
To accommodate the participants’ diverse interests, there will be different product zones, each with their own highlights such as BIFF exhibition, BIL exhibition, Young Designer zone, Resort Wear, Thai Tex Trend, and Fashion Network USA.
BIFF & BIL 2009 has been attracting professionals worldwide because it provides quality products and services throughout the supply chains. This year, it aims to enhance this reputation by including the services and products in ASEAN countries with an aim to become a one-stop trade fair in this region.
BIFF & BIL 2009 will be held during August 13-16 at Challenger Hall 2-3, Impact Muang Thong Thani. Trade days: August 13-14. Public days : August 15-16.
For more information please visit www.biffandbil.com
Hi-lights at BIFF & BIL 2009
Fashion Shows
The collections by Thai and ASEAN designers from well-known brands and by up-and-coming young designers will be paraded on the stylishly designed runway with four stages.
Main Stage
Grand Opening: The Great of ASEANRoyal ProjectBIL Show: The Hot SpotResort WearFashion Network USAKidsTextile, Silk and Fashion Accessory: The Perfect MadeBIFF Show and Muslim Fashion: The Speed of FashionMini Stage
LeatherLingerieSwimwearFashion AccessoryYoung DesignersHappening Stage
Private Stage
ASEAN Pavilion
This is where the fashion and leather industry in different ASEAN countries will exhibit their works in a joint effort to make ASEAN a hub of fashion business in Asia.
Seminars & Conferences
There will be several seminars and conferences on fashion and management for participants to exchange knowledge and to develop the fashion industry in Thailand and in the region.
Special Showcases
There will be exhibitions featuring the works from top designers in Thailand, both the established ones and the new young bloods. Also on display will be the products that are developed and designed through close co-operation from the public and private sector. These exhibitions include:
BIFF ExhibitionBIL ExhibitionThai Tex Trend (T3)Thai Designer ZoneYoung Designer ZoneFashion Network USAResort Wear
Designers’ Room ExhibitionNowNextDesign CircleInternational Trade Logistic and Finance ServiceTextile Innovation and Services
Business Matching
Appointment and trade information services.

NEW DELHI: India’s biggest fashion event started on a dark note in New Delhi with designers using the global recession and emotional depression to set a sombre trend for their autumn/winter collections.
Models draped in black, grey and deep purple sashayed down the catwalk at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, a five-day event in which 103 designers vie for the attention of 175 domestic and international buyers.
“We are in the heart of recession, and it’s fashionable,” said designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh, whose “Frugality is the new Black” collection was inspired by the global downturn.
“I’ve combined high-street cheap leggings with luxe jackets, T-shirts with luxury shawls,” she said. “You can be frugal, sensible, spend less and yet you can be fashionable.”
Designer Nitin Bal Chauhan’s “Condition Apply Part II” showed the underbelly of fast urban life, especially in India’s capital, in a follow-up to an earlier collection.
Models acted out themes such as vanity, divorce and depression on stage wearing predominantly grey pleated dresses, trousers and skirts.
“It’s inspired by the urban life, the flip side of urban life far removed from the glowing city life,” said Chauhan, who added he is influenced by TV and newspaper stories of urban misery.
Models wore headgear made from junk such as spectacles, which the designer said represented lonely senior citizens left behind in a bustling city, or a study lamp, in reference to students who commit suicide because of work and social pressures.
The show ended with a masked robber strangling a model sitting on a rocking chair.
Chauhan also wove gloom from the recession, which has dented India’s recent economic boom, into the designs.
“If you look at my shirts, they are asymmetric, and parts of the shirt is missing. Part of the cuff is missing, part of the collar is missing, so recession will definitely have an impact on my collection,” he said.
“All my headgear are made of junk,” Chauhan added. “In times of recession things that you put aside certainly hold meaning.”

Hundreds of models thronged the auditions of upcoming fashion extravaganza Delhi Fashion Week-2009 on Thursday.
The Delhi Fashion Week-2009 will take place from February 19 to February 24 and will be organised by Fashion Foundation of India (FFI).
This all India model hunt was spearheaded by an eminent jury comprising of designers Rohit Bal, Malini Ramani, Atsu Sekhose and Alpana Mittal, adman Prahlad Kakkar, leading models Fleur Xavier and Neha Kapoor and fashion photographer Tarun Khiwal.
Delhi based designer Malini Ramani spoke at length about the qualities she was looking for in a model.
“I am looking for a good model and a good model has many qualities you can””t see them all in upfront 30 seconds. What we are looking instantly is their walk, they must have good legs, good basic body structure and that works for current clothes,” Ramani said.
Fashion Model, Fleur Xavier said that a model needs to have several qualities and revealed that she did spot some interesting faces.
“I think a lot of them were good and I think it”’’s important as a model not just to be able to walk only well and be bad in other aspects. It is important to walk well, have a good body, it is important to look relatively decent or may have a unique face. It”’’s important that all these components come together in order to be a good model,” Xavier said.
Fashion Foundation of India, which is an apex body of fashion formed with a purpose of capacity building for the Fashion Designer and manufacturing industry, organizes the fashion extravaganza.