Fashioning an Asia Pacific awareness

The growing affluence of consumers in China and India represents a wealth of untapped export potential for Australian fashion businesses, claims Australian Fashion Innovators (AFI).
Citing figures from research company AC Nielson, AFI - which organises Mercedes Australian Fashion Week - said compound economic growth rates in China and India would exceed 8 per cent per annum in the coming years, with consumers in these regions having unprecedented spending power.
Chinese, Indian, and Hong Kong based consumers were the world's three most upwardly mobile demographics, said AFI founder and CEO Simon Lock.
Lock described the Asia Pacific region as "a powerhouse for the fashion industry right now, not only from a manufacturing, but also from a consumer perspective."
"With both India and China embracing consumerism in such a huge way, the global economy is paying much more attention to these previously untapped markets," he said.
As a result of the growing affluence of the Asia Pacific, Mercedes Australian Fashion Week autumn winter (MAFW AW) - which takes place in Melbourne from October 24 to 28 -- will kick off with the inaugural Asia Pacific Fashion Forum (APFF).
The APFF - to be held on October 24 and 25 -- will feature a broad range of speakers, with discussions following the three core themes of brand development, consumer markets and manufacturing.
Brand development will discuss how local fashion brands and designers can gain greater market share in Asia Pacific; consumer markets will include discussions on understanding the size and structure of Asia Pacific retail fashion markets by country and manufacturing will analyse the effect of free-trade agreements and the Asia Pacific as a global source for textiles and apparel manufacturing.
Delegates of the APFF will include fashion designers, fashion industry associations, fashion retailers, brand owners and marketers, government export development authorities, fashion media, educational institutions and related industry consultants and service providers.
They will form part of the development of the Asia Pacific Fashion Council, to be established during the APFF to generate greater internal co-operation within the regions.