The first Taipei Fashion Week kicked off with opera and acrobatics Dec. 6 at Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center.
 
In the four-day event organized by the ministries of culture and economic affairs, eight local brands are showcasing their 2019 spring and summer collections.
 
The opening night interwove acrobatics, dance and music with the runway shows of designs by local talents. Taiwanese opera singer Liao Chiung-chih also gave a performance that was dedicated to the unsung heroes in the fashion world such as patternmakers and tailors.
 
According to MOC Minister Cheng Li-chiun, the show will highlight aspects of local culture that have inspired and nurtured local designers. She added she hopes the event will raise their international profile.
 
Featuring works by more than 60 local and overseas brands, fashion week underscores the government’s determination to make Taiwan a hub for the industry in Asia, according to the MOC.
 
One of the highlights is a collection by renowned designer Justin Chou, whose brand Just in XX has featured several times at New York Fashion Week. Other notable participants are Sabra Andre, an indigenous creator from the Paiwan tribe and prize winner at the World Fashion Festival 2018 in Dubai; and designer Yeh Cha-rin, who draws her inspiration from Taiwan’s natural landscapes.
 
Besides the catwalk shows, six international seminars discussing topics spanning the fashion history, marketing and trends, as well as an exhibition featuring more than 100 pieces are also being held. On the final day, the theater will stage four shows themed around Hakka culture, indigenous arts, traditional crafts and unconventional materials. (CPY-E)