Dates, Details Set for SFIFW
San Francisco International Fashion Week (SFIFW) organizers have set the dates of Oct. 20–23 for its premier event, scheduled to take place on the waterfront at Fort Mason.
The inaugural event was to have occurred last fall but was postponed because of a hotel workers’ strike that crippled the local lodging industry. The labor dispute is still ongoing but lodging conditions have improved to accommodate larger influxes of traffic, said show producer Jacinta Law.
Law said she expects to announce the lineup of designers in the coming weeks. The initial roster included Lloyd Klein, Stephen Burrows, Esteban Cortazar, Zang Toi, Malini Ramani, Manish Arora, Chanpaul, Dimmer D’Vrsi and Joseph Domingo. “We hope to have an even bigger roster by fall,” Law said.
The event will showcase Spring 2006 precirc;t-agrave;-porter collections from a slate of international designers. An awards ceremony, entertainment, and pre- and post-show events are also planned, Law said. Among the exhibits are the International Style Lounge, a showcase of 20 juried accessories designers, and the International “Design by Couture” Exhibit, a static haute couture show highlighting work from more than 20 international designers. There will also be daily industry seminars for fashion professionals.
A preview show will be held during the San Francisco International Style Festival at Union Square on May 7. Current sponsors include: Factio Magazine, 7x7 Magazine, Dare to Wear, Dittie, Fashion Television and W Hotel San Francisco.
To support the event, Mayor Gavin Newsom has signed a proclamation dedicating the week of Oct. 20–24 as International Fashion Week.
“International Fashion Week will be a destination and trade forum for the fashion and apparel markets, offering new opportunities for the fashion industry while elevating San Francisco to the ranks of the world’s elite fashion capitals,” the mayor said in a statement. Registration is currently open to industry buyers and press at www.sfifw.com. Information on the International Style Festival can be found at www.stylefest.net. —Robert McAllister
