Bangkok--13 Jul--Branded The Agency (From Photo) Mrs. Supatra Srisook, Assistant Director General, Department of Export Promotion (middle) expresses her gratitude to Mr. Bhanu Inkawat, Creative Director, Greyhound Co., Ltd. (2nd from left) and Ms. Chanita Preechawitayakul, Design Director, Senada (2nd from right) for joining Thailand Fashion Designers Award : TFDA 2007 Press Conference as guest speakers at DEP. The Office Of Product Value Development, Department of Export Promotion (DEP) organizes Thailand Fashion Designers Award : TFDA 2007 starting from today until 20th July 2007. The purpose of this event is to search for the new generation of gifted designers to be developed and encouraged into international level competitions, together with showing the world the ability of Thai designers and their works. The winners will not only receive prize money, but they will also earn the opportunity to study about fashion including the D&A Exhibition in New York, USA. During the contest, contestants will gain various skills from various workshop activities arranged by DEP. The workshop will allow contestants to strengthen their knowledge by inviting many leading professional fashion experts to give out their pieces of advice. They will have an opportunity to produce their designs, have their own fashion shows. Moreover, the winners will get the chance to go and study about fashion at D&A Exhibition in New York, USA. All of these will help to strengthen the overall skills of Thai fashion designers and develop the Thai garments industry to step forward into the world market. Mrs. Supatra Srisook, Assistant Director General, Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce addressed that the exporting of Thai garments statistic is the main factor in driving this contest to take place. “The export of garments in Thailand during the first 5 months of year 2007 valued at US$ 1,318.86 million, reduced by 3.76% compared to the same period in 2006 which was a 35.37% of planned exporting rate. Thai garments have high potential in competing with World market but one of the main problems causing the expansion in exporting rate slowdown is entrepreneurs are not ready for competition. That means Thailand still has to rely on the overseas production and cannot create our own designs. In order to strengthen the potential for Thai garment, DEP decided to organize this year’s Thailand Fashion Designers Award (TFDA) 2007”, said Mrs. Supatra. Moreover, Mrs. Piengrhudee Teeravutchuvong, Senior Product Design Officer, Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce added “The Office Of Product Value Development, Department of Export Promotion, initiated its first fashion design contest in 1996 under the name ‘Thailand Young Fashion Designers Contest 1996’ to select a new generation of fashion designers aged 15 to 28. The contest has been organized continuously every two years until this year in which it’s seventh time. Year 2007, the project continues but the name has changed to ‘Thailand Fashion Designers Award : TFDA 2007’ with the objective of searching out talented Thai designers age between 15-35 years old and to help develop the Thai fashion industry to become more competitive on an international level. The design contest is also intended to help promote the work of these designers, make their designs more visible in the world market and help transform the image of the Thai fashion industry from simply a manufacturing base to a unique design platform”. The Press Conference and the contest guidelines took place on 11th July 2007 at the Conference Room 1, 1st Floor, Department of Export Promotion, Rajadapisek. During the Press Conference, there was the marvelous fashion show from last year winners. The honorable guest speakers : Mr. Bhanu Inkawat, Creative Director, Greyhound Co., Ltd. and Ms. Chanita Preechawitayakul, Design Director, Senada joined to express their view about “Current Fashion industry with the new generation” There are 4 themes for this year’s contest namely : FREEDOM IN PARADISE, LONG WAY HOME, TECHNO ROMANCE and ARTY OASIS. Applications for the Thailand Fashion Designers Award : TFDA 2007 will be accepted from 5-20 July 2007. For more details call 0-2513-8140 or visit www.depthai.go.th/design For more information, please contact: Uracha Jaktaranon, Narumon Hanpairojkajon, Walairat Ruamrak Branded The Agency Co.,Ltd. Tel : 02-650-9090 Fax : 02-650-9260 Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net