It's a tough period for the fashion industry, navigating through troubled waters amid the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic but the Council of Asean Fashion Designers views this as a perfect time to push the reset button.
The CAFD encourages fashion designers to Rethink, Reinvent and Regenerate their businesses in order to remain sustainable.
With that, CAFD has appointed a new committee which comprises a group of entrepreneurs and professionals in technology, fashion, media and entertainment fields with influential business networks to support CAFD designers.
"CAFD is established with the mission to democratise the fashion industry and level the playing field for Asean designers so that they can go to the global marketplace and thrive in the globally competitive fashion industry," read the press statement.
Trang Le who is the owner and co-founder of Vietnam International Fashion Week has been selected as the new president of CAFD. She will guide Asean fashion designers to spread their wings in the international fashion scene.
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group Malaysia managing director Darren Choy, and Tri Dao Phuc who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Yeah-One TV Network in Vietnam have both been selected as vice-presidents.
Choy's plan is to bring music and fashion together to create a bigger cultural impact in Southeast Asia.
Honorary chairman of CAFD Datuk Kenn Yam said: "Each committee member brings with them a rich network of business and marketing resources to guide and assist fashion designers to navigate their business to the world."
Other names in the new committee include Datuk Tan Yee Boon who is CAFD's secretary, Datuk Idris Mohd Esa who serves as the council's treasurer as well as Chenguang Liu who has been appointed as CAFD China Advisor.
CAFD also has country counselors in every Asean country. These are influential individuals that will inspire their country's fashion designers to be globally competitive.
For example, in Malaysia, Bon Zainal who is the president of Malaysian Bumiputera Designers Association is the country counselor for Malaysia. For more information, visit www.cafdasia.com.