OCTOBER 2005

Fashion, Multiculturally Speaking

FASHION WEEK IS NO LONGER AT FORT MASON CENTER. See www.sfifw.com for updates.

Tucked between similar events in New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco’s three-day fashion extravaganza at the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason Center begins October 20.

San Francisco International Fashion Week showcases Spring 2006 Prêt-à-Porter collections from many of the industry’s top and emerging international designers, an awards luncheon, entertainment, a series of kick-off and "after" parties, and fashion workshops.
The 2006 Spring Collection designer lineup includes Gaspard Yurkievich, Isabelle Ballu, Afshin Feiz, Sebastien Meunier, and Pierre-Henri Mattout from France; Paul Munroe and Black Coffee of South Africa; Shantanu & Nikhil, Malini Ramani, Manish Arora, and Payal Jain of India; Rajo Laurel (Philippines); and Joseph Domingo, Cari Borja, and Lloyd Klein from the US.

Unlike most fashion events, producers said, this event doesn’t focus as much on high-end American designers as on the diverse talents of designers throughout the world.

"The vision of San Francisco International Fashion Week is to spotlight the city of San Francisco as the true multicultural city that it is through fashion, entertainment, and social events," said producer Jacinta Law, CEO of International Fashion Industries, Inc.





"We are providing an International-American flavor for designers to exchange, display and celebrate global creativity through fashion," Law said.

Also, new this year, the event features The International Style Lounge, an exhibit of 20 juried accessory designers and daily industry seminars for fashion professionals.

For more information, check the October 21 calendar listing or, for a full list of the Fashion Week’s schedule, visit www.sfifw.com.

— Ronald Tierney

Images: Indian Designers Shantanu & Nikhil, South African Designer Paul Munroe