Digital Fashion Week 2013: Bigger, Faster, Fiercer

The very notion of a Singapore Digital Fashion Week (DFW) caused a few sharp intakes of breath when it was announced just over a year ago.

Yes, the little red dot is about as tech-savvy as it gets, but was the world ready to pay attention to fashion shows entirely online and featuring homegrown designers?

But they proved the doubters wrong and staged a show that did Singapore proud.

Fast forward 12 months and DFW is back. And how. Better venue, more sponsors, more designers and fashion royalty strutting down the runway in an Asian label.

That’s right, DFW ‘13 in Singapore was opened by none other than the queen of the catwalk Naomi Campbell, who was walking for Singapore based designer Zenchi.

The crowds were crammed into the stunning Singapore Design Centre in the middle of the city’s beating cultural heart, craning to catch a glimpse of one of the most recognisable people on the planet, wearing a Singapore-made dress.

Zenchi

And despite an hour wait (which seems to be de rigeur for fashion shows – let alone supermodels) she did not let them down.

From the moment her Naomi-ness strode onto the catwalk, the audience had its breath taken away.

Even the casual observer with only a passing interest in fashion could see what separates models from supermodels.

Striding like she was trying stamp a hole in the runway, back arched to the heavens and fiercer than a maori warrior, Naomi ruled the runway, perfectly showcasing Zenchi’s beautifully draped creations.

Now we could see what the fuss was about – both from Naomi and from a designer who is starting to make waves both in Singapore and abroad.

Largely monochrome, the magic of Zenchi’s SS14 collection was all in the sumptuous fabrics and the intricate draping, with every crease and fold carefully thought out and purposeful. It wasn’t serendipity that makes his clothes sit so perfectly, it is pure art.

In all, Naomi wore three creations from Zenchi. The final one a stunning yellow dress with one shoulder bared and elegant draping causing diagonal lines.

It was a collection that drew ovations from the standing room only crowd, and we’re sure attracted some interest of the many VIPs in the audience.

Frederic Sai

The best part? This was just the start of Digital Fashion Week. And while following Naomi’s show-stopping performance was probably the task no-one really wanted, Frederic Sai stepped up to the plate manfully.

Best known as a menswear designer with a signature ‘frame’ in his shirts, this was his first foray into the world of womenswear. So it was heartening to see a sizeable crowd remain to support a Singaporean designer in the closer to day one.

Flowers were the clear inspiration for the collections as both his mens and womenswear collections played with variations of the theme.

Floral print dresses and jackets segued into intricate floral details on bright summery skirts, monochromes followed (predominantly yellows and blacks) before giving way to quirky twists on the ‘frame’ – namely a flower in a frame, and the aforementioned intricate floral pattern adorning a men’s (but practically unisex) t-shirt.

The stand-out piece came from the menswear range and was hard to miss. A banana yellow double breasted suit, which was as bold as it was beautiful. It remains to be seen is Singapore’s mainstream will have the guts/vision to don such a creation.

*Read more DFW: Day 2 Highlights, Day 3 Highlights, Day 4 Highlights.

You can watch all the backstage, interviews and shows’s footage on Digital Fashion Week website and youtube channel.  The collections showcased at DFW are now available at ASOS Marketplace.

Rana Wehbe-Flinter and Lilyth Compostella

Photos: Zenchi (Cornelyus Tan), Frederic Sai (Digital Fashion Week)