“Style takes the lead.”
On Saturday (26th March 2016), we were invited by our friends from the Singapore Tourism Board to be a part of this year’s “Samsung Fashion Steps Out @ Orchard” launch in Singapore.
But don’t let the name deceive you – the event is more than just fashion as it saw the gathering of celebrities from both the local as well as the international front at a massive parade on the iconic Orchard Road.
In case you haven’t been, here are some things you need to know about “Fashion Steps Out”. Oh, you know, just so that you can start making plans for the next one:
1. “Fashion Steps Out” is a real Orchard Road traffic-stopper
In case you didn’t know, this year is the 7th year running for the event, having debuted in 2010. What makes “Fashion Steps Out” a little different from other cookie-cutter fashion shows is that it’s held outdoor and in an open-air environment. The event is touted as Singapore’s longest fashion runway, with the stretch between Scotts Road and Bideford Road specifically closed to cars and other vehicles to make way for the show. Yup, talk about a real traffic-stopper!
2. A record-breaking entourage of models
In 2014, the full length of the runway was a staggering 660m, with 150 models. But last weekend’s launch saw a whopping total of 188 models (a record number in the event’s history) showcasing 8 stylish labels including Asian pop icon Jay Chou‘s PHANTACi, which made its debut at the show. The 188 models included a group of adorable children who danced, jiggied, and shimmied their way to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” on the catwalk, dressed in FOX Kids & Baby, as well as some four-legged furkids. It was a true carnival of sorts that put smiles on people’s faces.
3. A special guest appearance by the Samsung Galaxy S7 4G+ and S7 edge 4G+
In case it wasn’t already obvious enough, this year’s “Fashion Steps Out” was held in conjunction with the launch of the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S7 4G+ and S7 edge 4G+. In fact, right outside Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road, a giant marquee was erected and promoters were seen walking around with banners and balloons to promote the Samsung products. On top of that, the “Fashion Steps Out” models were also seen “casually” wielding the smartphones during the show – because accessorising is key 😉
4. A fun-filled, exciting 6 weeks of fringe activities
One of the highlights is “Knit in the City” (15th April – 8th May) at Wisma Atria, Atrium at Basement 1. Craftist Adeline Loo’s quirky vision of a fantasy knitscape will feature a fully knitted giant backdrop, headpiece, and train complete with giant needles. The other noteworthy fringe highlight is the Samsung Fashion Visionaries, to be held at 313@somerset (22nd – 24th April) and Paragon, Main Atrium L1 (28th April – 8th May), where consumers can enjoy an immersive experience with the new Samsung Galaxy S7 4G+, S7 edge 4G+ along with Samsung Gear VR and Samsung Gear 360.
5. A star-studded event with both local and international celebrities
No launch is complete without the attendance of the cool kids. This year, more than a dozen homegrown as well as regional personalities, influencers, and artistes joined the catwalk – a milestone for “Fashion Steps Out”. The list of invitees included some familiar names such as homegrown singer Min Chen from Malaysia, VJ Daniel Mananta from Indonesia, Singapore’s Aisyah Aziz, Philippines personality Laureen Uy, Singapore model Sheila Sim, Singapore’s Hayley Woo, and last but certainly not least, Taiwan-based Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Lin(林俊傑).
6. JJ Lin celebrated his 35th birthday at this year’s shindig
For the first time since Singapore’s Golden Jubilee National Day Parade, JJ Lin made his way back home to join the festivities. And festive, it was, as hosts Rozz (Rosalyn Lee) and Vanessa Vanderstraaten even managed to surprise the singer-songwriter with a birthday cake prior to the runway show. Speaking on the sidelines of “Fashion Steps Out”, JJ Lin shyly shared a simple, tried-and-tested tip for taking selfies. “I think, for me, to capture a great selfie is to have a great smile,” he said. Well, easy for you to say when you have “smiling eyes”, JJ!
7. Everyone and anyone (yes, including you) is on the guest list
Because it’s held outdoors, this means that “Fashion Steps Out” is not your average high fashion runway event that requires exclusive invites. In fact, the street had ample space for spectators and were with lined with hordes of people on the night of the launch. This means that even if you just happened to be in the area, you’d be able to join in on the fun. Score 😉
As they all say, all good things must eventually come to an end. But for some, the real party only kicked off at the end of the “Fashion Steps Out” launch when Zouk Singapore’s DJ Hong took over the decks and provided high energy tunes for the street party. For those of you who missed the launch, fret not! The extravaganza will last until 8th May, with the above-mentioned fringe activities as well as special deals and some steals at the participating malls and boutiques.
Go get ’em, tiger 😉
For more information, hit up the Fashion Steps Out website or Facebook page.
