“This is a great platform to showcase Taiwan’s soft power,” Tony K. M. Chang, Taiwan Design Center CEO, said Aug. 16. “Through the event, we hope to connect Taiwan’s design proficiency to the international community, as well as helping industries understand the importance of design and how it can enhance product value.

Dame Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with Yoox.com and the United Nations Agency to provide much-needed ethical employment for the people of Nairobi. Her Ethical Fashion Africa Collection for the e-tailer comprises handbags and totes created with from all sorts of refuse, from flip flops to old tent fabric, and transformed into covetable accessories by impoverished people in Kenya, through fair labour conditions.

The explosion of museum exhibitions is only a mirror image of what has happened to fashion itself this millennium. With the force of technology, instant images and global participation, fashion has developed from being a passion for a few to a fascination — and an entertainment — for everybody.

From panda to shuttle to ping pong to even Facebook diplomacy, there are many different kinds of diplomatic practices that aim to inform, entertain and bring two nations closer together. There is now a new form of diplomacy straight from the Indonesian island of Java; one which is so heavily entrenched in their culture that even their president, government officials and sultans wear it on official functions.

Those keen to pinpoint how an essential relationship differs from a special one will be tracking Michelle Obama's wardrobe choices. The First Lady has proved herself to have a talent for projecting a style which illustrates the Obama political message, while showcasing her own personality.

To showcase the beauty and global mark of both dresses, the Vietnamese Embassy set up a cultural exchange day that celebrates the new designs changing the face of these classical icons.

This season, Mumbai’s fashion week is looking to add a little foreign flavour to the mix of designers showcasing. Joining hands with the the Japan Fashion Week (JFW), one of the shows will feature three Japanese designers as part of Tokyoeye — a unique cross-cultural exchange initiative by Japan’s Mi
nistry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) collections to buyers from India and all over the world.

Leah Peretz was not surprised that Shenkar College of Engineering and Design made Fashionista's December list of the top 50 fashion schools in the world. She knows that Shenkar's fashion department and its graduates enjoy a world-class reputation, consistently garnering awards at prestigious international competitions.