Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2012 has begun in the country's capital Jakarta.
About 500 fashion designers and small and medium entrepreneurs are likely to showcase their collections at the four-day event, which is expected to attract about 30,000 visitors.
IFW 2012, organized by the Indonesian Fashion Designers Association, will include fashion shows and seminars on topics like branding and trend forecasts, in addition to display of collections by various brands and designers.
Ami Wirabudi, Head of the IFW organizing committee, said the IFW was a dream come true for local fashion designers and hoped that the fashion week would help the domestic fashion industry to compete in international markets.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Industry Minister MS Hidayat, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari E. Pangestu, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan and Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Syarifudin Hasan.
According to official data, the fashion and apparel industry accounted for Rp 71.9 trillion or about 5.9 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) last year.
The industry employs around 4 million people and fetches Rp 50.3 trillion in terms of foreign exchange for the country.
The event is scheduled to close on February 26 with display of 'Ethnic Eclectism' by Ferry Sunarto, Musa Widyatmodjo and Anne Avantie.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India