Textile and Fashion two day trade show Trend Forum 2016, a platform to review the latest global trends and build knowledge on how to create collections for various target markets organized by Enterprise Mauritius in collaboration with the fashion agency HEAT Group opened this morning at the Westin Hotel in Balaclava. The two-day event coincides with the first edition of the Mauritius Fashion Week, from 13 to 21 May.

The Trend Forum includes seminars, interactive workshops and networking sessions. Various themes such as key products, design concepts and key colours will be presented. Moreover, there will be interactive sessions with the participants to boost their creativity.

Around 100 participants from the Textile and Fashion industry as well as independent designers, Ateliers of Haute Couture, SMEs, women entrepreneurs, and Fashion and Design students are attending. During the fashion week, an array of different artistic creativity, starting with Haute Couture, styling, photography, make-up, jewellery and "Made-in-Mauritius" brands, will be showcased. Fashion shows will also be organized in selected locations in Mauritius.

The objectives behind this event are to position Mauritius as a fashion platform, to promote the "Made in Mauritius" brands, to educate and motivate designers in their quest to develop local brands, to support our Textile and Apparel Operators, especially the SMEs, to be more innovative in order to keep pace with the fast changing technology and to inspire designers in their creations.

Present at the opening of the Forum, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Gungah, recalled that the Forum aligns with the Government Programme and the strategy of Enterprise Mauritius to develop and promote the Fashion Industry, both locally and abroad.

For more than 45 years, the Mauritian textile and apparel industry has been constantly re-inventing and re-engineering itself to maintain its niche position on the global apparel market. In doing so, the industry has emerged as a reliable and trusted supplier of high value garments.

Mr Gungah underlined the need to promote the development of the fashion industry and to propel the 'Made in Mauritius' label products internationally. To that end, he stressed, the Ministry will provide all necessary support to operators with a view to strengthening supply capacity and enable enterprises to quickly respond to fast changing trends by offering new products for every season.

According to the Minister, there is a need to turn toward high end products with more stylists. They can see the future more confidently if they can transform the textile industry in a fashion industry. To meet this objective, training is imperative.

This year, Enterprise Mauritius is partnering with Carlin Creative Trend Bureau, a renowned international Bureau de Style, based in Paris. Carlin Creative Trend Bureau is a Forecasting Office with a network covering over 30 countries with major creation centres in Europe, Asia and the Americas (north and south).

Mrs Edith Keller, the Chief Executive Officer, and Mr Thomas Zylberman, Senior Designer, will present the latest trends, Autumn/Winter 17/18 for women, men, kids and accessories as well as an update of the Spring/Summer 17.