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Published on February 9, 2008

The fact that more than 10,000 people attended this month's Emporium World Fashion Showcase in Bangkok assured its organisers that an event such as this - the country's first entirely international style parade - is not going to suffer from lack of interest.

Eight foreign brands - Chanel, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Samsung, Chloé, Emilio Pucci, Kenzo and Valentino - treated the chic legions to a good long look at their spring-summer 2008 ready-to-wear collections.

The fans showed their appreciation with more than just applause.

Chanel's event-opening party had plenty of attendees in Coco Chanel's famous tweed jackets and toting her 2.55 bags. Emilio Pucci's colourful signature prints ruled the roost at his show, and elegant evening gowns were worn at every opportunity to match each gathering's designated couturier.

The gilded reception that free-spending high-society types gave the World Fashion Showcase soon had Emporium boss Kriengsak Tantiphipop thinking he ought to make it an annual ritual.

"It was well-received," he acknowledged, "and, yes, we'd love to continue it, but we also have to consider the cost - it's very high at Bt40 million."

All of the shows over the five days took place at the Thailand Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium, except for the Pucci do at the swank "The River" property on the Chao Phya developed by Raimon Land.

The design centre could only accommodate 500 invited guests per show, and there were always plenty of other people asking to get in.

Among the local designers who weren't about to miss out on the proceedings were Mettha Tantisajjatham, veteran Somchai "Kai" Kaewthong and jewellery specialist Supornthip Chuangrungsri.

The Pucci event at the River was among the hottest tickets, with countless guests keen to wear their own Pucci numbers while checking out the 50-plus new outfits on display on the catwalk. The party afterward was thick with celebrities who normally cherish their privacy.

The curtain came down on the World Fashion Showcase with Valentino's farewell after 45 years of sending out ripples across fashion's big pond from Milan.

Loyal fans including Chalita Taochalee Tantiphipop, Vilasinee Pornprasertthavorn and Lapapida Lhoakitiyakul joined a horde of Bangkok business people and fashion-industry folks at the poignant gathering, and shimmering among the celebrities were newlyweds Paradorn Srichaphan and Natalie Glebova.

Natalie, the former Miss Universe, evoked gasps of delight in a red Valentino gown, while her hubby the tennis star looked equally sleek in a skinhead haircut and tailored jacket.

They were there courtesy of Singha beer, of course, but the World Fashion Showcase was a heady cooperative brew, drawing in Raimon Land, Spyker, Samsung, Siam Commercial Bank and The Nation too.

Adding a little political yeast to the hops, as well - or at least to the Chanel opener - were Thaksin Shinawatra's daughters Pinthongtha and Paethongtharn, who no doubt could have afforded anything and everything their hearts desired.

Kupluthai Pungkanon,

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

The Nation