International IPOH Fashion Week (IIFW™) Season 4.0 Press Conference

Mark your calendar, Fashion of the Week Award 2019/20 winner International IPOH Fashion Week (IIFW™) is back and set to blaze the runway of Ipoh, putting our city on the map of the fashion world. Block these dates: 20th until 23rd October, 2022.

After a two-year forced hiatus as a consequence of COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing lockdown measures, this 4th season of IIFW™ returns bigger and stronger, to showcase an exclusive lineup of 9 fashion designers along with 40 male & female models, from Malaysia as well as foreign countries, namely Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal and the Middle East, among others. Founded in 2017 by power couple Mr. Louis Sebastian and Ms. Adeline Khan of Bizzness Management Services, this year’s theme is “Fashion with a Heart”.

To be graced by HRH Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan Tuanku Zara Davidson and other members of the Perak royal families, funds raised from the Black Tie charity gala dinner will benefit the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (Ipoh General Hospital) plus Perak Foodbank. Therefore, support from private corporations is most appreciated.

Besides this main event, highlights of IIFW™ 4.0 fashion extravaganza include a mini fashion exhibition by top Indonesian designers, a fashion symposium and outdoor fashion shows. This mega event will also serve as a major platform for the fashion faculties of UiTM Seri Iskandar and Kolej Komuniti Batu Gajah to present their creations to an international audience, via a strategic collaboration.

Fashion is beyond apparel, of course. Look out for a showcase by National Expert in Hairdressing Khaljaksa Khalil A.M.N. who will present his avant-garde hair creations. Kenny Loh Couture from Penang will feature their Peranakan kebaya, beaded shoes and accessories, alongside their Nyonya-inspired ready-to-wear and casual attire, which allows us to appreciate the delicate beadwork and workmanship of the Peranakans.

A brief overview of the week is as follows: –
• 20th Oct, 2022 – IIFW™ FASHION SYMPOSIUM / Mini-exhibition
• 21st Oct, 2022 – IIFW™ RED CARPET Charity Gala Dinner
• 22nd Oct, 2022 – IIFW™ Runway Fashion Showcase at Ipoh Old Town
• 23rd Oct, 2022 – IIFW™ unique Closing Fashion Showcase at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah

Do note that both the outdoor fashion shows at Jalan Bandar Timah in Ipoh Old Town and Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah are free-for-all events that are open to the public, as the organisers wish to bring fashion to the masses, to empower the creative minds of the locals. Fashion is to be enjoyed by all, after all, and with Ipoh as the host city, residents will definitely get to partake in its celebration of style and creativity.

IIFW™ 4.0 is supported by the Perak State Government, Tourism Malaysia, Tourism Perak, Ipoh City Council, plus tourism agencies in the state, to promote fashion tourism around the world.

Guest-of-honour Yang Berhormat Dato’ Nolee Ashilin Binti Mohammed Radzi (State Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee Chairperson) shared at the press conference this morning that the support of PICU is close to her heart, as her second child was born prematurely and was warded at PICU for more than a week.

She added, “Fashion tourism is a niche market segment evolved out of three major sectors: Creative Tourism, Cultural Tourism and Shopping Tourism. Fashion Tourism can be defined as the interaction between Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs), trade associations, tourism suppliers and host communities, with people travelling to and visiting a particular place for business or leisure to enjoy, experiment, discover, study, trade, communicate about and consume fashion. Fashion and design now play an equally important role in other artistic fields. Fashion shows today have crossed the glamorous ramps and carpets of popular dress designers. The growing global interest in modest fashion is redesigning the fashion power map and has an important bearing on our economy which contributes to our international standing in the world’s fashion stakes.

“With a two-pronged objective of showcasing Perak/Malaysia-based fashion talent globally and at the same time welcoming the world to the Wonders of Perak/Malaysia, IIFW™ Season 4.0 will help boost tourist arrivals to Malaysia as we showcase our culture, food and popular tourist destinations. With our neighbours looking to invest and spend some of their resources on style, Perak has many of the right ingredients to succeed in its mission.”

In closing, IIFW™ founder Mr. Louis Sebastian said, “It is our hope that the Ipoh fashion industry keeps on being brave so that the younger generation can keep on being inspired. We like clothes that wear well. We dream of clothes that impress. We desire clothes that make us aggressively gorgeous. With this continuous support from all parties, IIFW™ will enhance further and carve its niche of being a marquee fashion event in Malaysia.”

For enquiries, kindly contact:
Ms. Adeline Khan @ +6012 386 9265
Ms. Maggie Ong @ +6012 599 7332
Pn. Linda Mustaffa @ +6012 433 7498

Event: International IPOH Fashion Week (IIFW™) Season 4.0 Press Conference
Venue: STG Tea House Cafe, Ipoh
Date: 12th July, 2022
Time: 10am