The City of Cape Town has earmarked R400 000 for the 2008 Cape Town Fashion Week, a premier event being showcased in the city this week. It has been a remarkable success with more than 150 international and local media attending the event with approximately 13 000 buyers and industry members attending over the course of the week. The City’s contribution has been applied towards the development of an emerging fashion industry around the event.

 According to the impact study of last year’s fashion week, the event generated in excess of R35 million media coverage and much more in economic spin - offs for the local economy of Cape Town.

 “The Cape Town Fashion Week is an event that helps position Cape Town as a global city and as one of the world’s leading creative centres. It is a key platform to help revive our ailing clothing and textiles industry. It is a major event on the international fashion calendar and forms an integral part of the City’s creative industries strategy. I would like to thank Paul Jackson of AFI, the organisers of Cape Town Fashion Week 2008 for a job well done,” says Cllr Simon Grindrod, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Social Development and Tourism.

 The City’s contribution is being used to facilitate business linkages by setting up 60 targeted business appointments to view fashion collections at the event. It was further used to invite 140 national media, 60 photographers and 10 international media, ensuring maximum media exposure for Cape Town.

 “The creative industry plays a major role in our local economy. The fashion industry, like the film industry, creates job opportunities and generates revenue for the region.

  “Apart from assisting with business facilitation and media exposure, the City’s investment also contributes to the raising of the standards in our local fashion industry,” Cllr Grindrod said.