The Thai touch
The world's best patternmaker could not have engineered a better fit.
A decision by Australian Fashion Week's formers owners Australian Fashion Partners last year to reposition the bi-annual fashion show as not only Australia's, but the Asian region's, premier fashion event was music to the ears of the Thai Government.
The announcement coincided with a decision, made public in 2002 by the then-Thai Prime Minister, Thasin Shinawatra, to spend almost $US50 million transforming Bangkok to become, what it termed, the Fashion City of Asia.
Figures released by Thailand's Ministry of Industry suggest the country's early attempts at fashion self promotion have been successful with Thai garment, leather and jewellery exports earning more than 260 billion Baht ($A8.9 billion) last year - up from 240 billion Baht ($A8.2 billion) in 2004 and 230 billion Baht ($A7.9 billion) in 2003.
The figures show growth from 2004 to 2005 was positive with garment exports growing 1.95 per cent, leather by 22.76 per cent and jewellery by 21.71 per cent.
However, the news is considerably better for 2006 with the first four months of the calendar year boasting garment exports growing by a significant 10.05 per cent and leather and jewellery sales up by more than a third.
But while such success can be credited to a number of sources - not least the country's Bangkok Fashion Week held for the first time in August last year with a follow-up version in March - it was not until April '06 Australians were invited to get in on the action.
With this country featuring prominently among a hit list of countries it planned to educate with its message, Thai authorities had been searching for the right vehicle in which to showcase the country's best fashion design to an Aussie audience.
AFW loomed as the obvious choice, however it took until this year to get the appropriate systems in place for the cluster, by now named the Bangkok Fashion City (BFC) roadshow, to find its feet.
Bangkok Fashion City committee member Dr Decha Akkarasrisawad says Australia has always been viewed as the leader in the fashion industry in the Asia Pacific region and for this reason, the BFC wanted to build a profile with international and Australian buyers and the relevant media.
Having made its debut at AFW's 2006 Sydney installment, but also making cameo appearances across other Australian states, the roadshow was an instant success with Australian buyers, netting Thai label Playhound a total of four orders, collectively valued at more than $17,000 from a variety of boutique buyers including Cactus Jam, Strada, Trigga Happy and Adrenalin. A second label, Sretsis, received orders worth more than $70,000.
Akkarasrisawad says the events the designers participated in after the AFW parades - which included AFW trade show The Source and other in-store promotions - proved a constructive way to carry out market research among the Australian retail market and ascertain the interest of the general consumer.
"The overall reaction to the Thai collections was extremely positive. Many believed the designs were remarkable as stand-alone pieces and on an international level."
So what is it that is so now about Thai fashion?
Blackbook Public Relations representative Kelly Nuss, who lived and worked in Thailand for many years and who has been employed by the Thai's to promote the BFC project across Australia, says the similarity between the two markets is obvious.
"Firstly, little research is required for this one - Australians and Thais are obsessed with accessories and jewellery. Secondly, both markets are modern, easy going, optimistic, don't take themselves too seriously and directional without being too extreme. Thirdly, in both markets fashion markets last seconds, not minutes. But I tend to believe that the fashion seconds pass more quickly in Thailand.
"The industry is relatively young in contrast to the history of the European fashion industry. This instills a sense of freedom and creativity in both countries' young and up-and-coming designers."
Paul Maloney Fashion Agency principal Paul Maloney, who stocks the majority of the brands participating in the BFC project, believes there is significant scope for the relationship between the Australian and Thai fashion industries to develop even further due largely to the synergies between the two markets.
Maloney says Australians have embraced the Thai culture for many years through their holiday jaunts as well as the local Thai community in Australia.
The strength of both markets lies in their "love of trans-seasonal" fashion. However, when coupled with the concessional duty rate between the respective governments, this presents many as yet untapped opportunities, he says.