Syaiful Baharim, the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Award 2006 winner, showed selections from his winning collection at the prestigious Mercedes Fashion Week (MAFW) held at end April 2006 to a capacity crowd of more than 650 media, buyers and representatives from the fashion industry.
The MAFW presents the Spring Summer collections of Asia Pacific's best designers to some of the world's most significant buyers and key fashion media. Participation in the MAFW is by invitation only extended by the MAFW National Selection Panel made up of prominent fashion journalists, designers and industry influencers.
Held this year at Circular Quay in Sydney, our MBAFA 2006 winner, Syaiful Baharim, held his show on 30 April at the Harbour Room alongside other notable emerging designers in the New Generation segment of the Mercedes Australia Fashion Week. The New Generation show this year consisted 7 designers including Syaiful who presented 10 looks from his collection that won him the title of MBAFA 2006 winner. The show paid off handsomely for the Malaysia designer who was very excited about his first Australian Fashion presentation.
Fashion talents that have previously springboard their design careers from this segment include Tsubi – the streetwear label which counts Gwen Stefanie and Kylie Minogue as fans, Akira Isogawa – an Australian design legend whose collections are sought after internationally, Camilla & Marc – the brother and sister design team whose designs embody urban sophistication and street chic and Sass & Bide – the label which started as a stall in London's Portobello Road.
"It was so enlightening showing my pieces amongst these designers. The whole atmosphere was more exciting than I imagined it to be. It was totally exciting and I'm very privileged to have shown together with the other fantastic designers. You can imagine my surprise and excitement when I got an order from a Melbourne buyer, Adeline from Captiale Rosso. She said my designs were fresh and exactly what she thinks will sell well in her market," enthused a hyper Syaiful. Additionally, he was inundated with numerous orders from the fashion show attendees who wanted to order from the collection for their own wardrobe.
"These are the people who really know fashion and for them to order my pieces for themselves is a real testament for me. Together with being interviewed by ABC and Channel 7 news, the whole experience was much more than I had ever though it would be. Winning the MBAFA 2006 award has really opened multiple doors for me!" Syaiful's interview with Channel 7 news had also had him hailed as one of the most promising designers to come out of the MAFW.
Syaiful will next join celebrated international designer Singaporean Ashley Isham in London for a stint in Ashley's workshop as part of his prize. He will join Ashley on 28 August 2006 for a period of 6 weeks then immediately off to Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Centre pf Japan for 4 week.
On a separate note, another favorite contestant from the Regional Finals of MBAFA 2006 held at Zouk on 28 March 2006, Singaporean PR Sekino Keisuke has just been offered a chance of a lifetime opportunity to also intern at the Ashley Isham design studio in London.
Ashley said "I really look forward to Syaiful's internship with me as his ideas and creativity are unique and interesting. I also found Sekino's style and philosophy had incredible potential and hence I offered him an opportunity to work with me too."
Mercedes-Benz, as an ardent supporter of emerging design talents, has decided to encourage this nurturing prospect with a cash sponsorship to kickstart the internship.
Mr Holger Linder, General Manager, Sale and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, DaimlerChrysler Asia Africa Pte Ltd, " This year's MBAFA brought out some good exceptionally talented individuals. Our objective of being an incubator for aspiring young designers is once again being fulfilled. Following the Mercedes-Benz passion for design and style, we are happy to support Ashley's initiative to take on Sekino in addition to the winner's internship."
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