The Malaysia Fashion Week 2016 closed its curtain on a high note earlier this month, with overall sales jumping 58.3 percent compared to last year. The revenue from shopping tourism rose by 17.1% in the first half of this year, making the sector a major contributor to national tourism revenue.
The Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW) 2016 closed its curtain on a high note earlier this month, with overall sales jumping 58.3 percent compared to last year.
The four-day fashion gala was organised by MATRADE for the third time since 2014.
The event housed 305 local fashion and lifestyle industry players as well as global buyers, the largest fashion event in the country. Sales hit RM201.9 million this year.
Big names in the local scene along the likes of Bon Zainal, Bill Keith, Fizi Woo and Sakura Malaysia premiered their Spring/Summer 2017 fashion. Other brands include Innai Red, Alia Bastamam, Motoguo and the debut of Romyda_KL by Selina Yeop Jr and Nina Baizura.
This year, MFW2016 also hosted special tribute galleries by Prof Dato' Jimmy Choo, Zang Toi (collaboration with EPSON for wayang kulit inspired prints) and Mercedes Benz.
In 2015, MFW recorded RM126.52mil in sales, with over 200 fashion buyers.
Kuala Lumpur continues to host quality international fashion events in its effort to become the fashion hub in the region. This is also part of the national scheme in promoting tourism and economy growth.
The city is already on the global best list for shopping and tourism destination, thanks to the aggressive international promotions, shopping carnivals and competitive tourism market.
MFW also continued with Muslim-wear (MODESTyle) and Inclusivity theme this year, to present a strong showcase of Malaysia’s diverse cultures and design influences. Designers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Middle East and others presented a variety of modest fashion products including hijab, accessories and halal cosmetics.
Malaysia plays a big role in creating and marketing modest designs to suit the growing Muslim fashion-forward communities. MFW’s spin-off, the first-annual Kuala Lumpur Modest Fashion Week (KLMFW), will take place on 3-4 December.
Tourism Malaysia said the revenue from shopping tourism rose by 17.1 per cent or RM11.7 billion in the first half of this year, making the sector a major contributor to national tourism revenue.
In 2015, the sector contributed 31.4 per cent to overall tourism revenue of RM37.4 billion during the corresponding period last year.
Photo credit: Malaysia Fashion Week Facebook Page
