The show must go on - and it did last night when nine designers joined hands to put on an independent fashion show without government aid.

The rising stars showcased their spring/summer 2009 collections in a 40-minute show titled +9 at Old School in Mount Sophia Road.

One of the designers, Chia Wei Choong, says there is little support for young, emerging designers so 'we decided to take things into our own hands and do something for ourselves'.

He was referring to the fact that two big industry-led events - Singapore Fashion Week (SFW) and Singapore Fashion Festival (SFF) - have been put on hold.

The former, organised by the Textile and Fashion Federation, is a trade event that gives local designers room to meet potential buyers. The latter, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, provides a platform for designers to showcase their works to consumers.

Organisers of SFW and SFF said in June and September respectively that they needed a timeout to work on a revamp for both events.

SFF 2008 director Tjin Lee has announced she will be organising an independent festival next year. Details are not firmed up yet, but she is looking at a third instalment of Blueprint, the local designers showcase she introduced to SFF in 2004 and again in April this year.

She would also like to have a home-grown talent open or close the festival - a first here.

She says: 'There are a couple of Singaporean designers who are of world-class calibre and we would be proud to welcome them as a headliner next year.'

Urban shows its support and presents the latest designs from eight local labels: alldressedup by The Link, Afton by Afton Chen, benWu by Ben Wu, Antebellum by Chia Wei Choong, Abyzz by Desmond Yang, Hansel by Jo Soh, nicholas by Nicholas Wong and Posse by Jay Quek and Madeline Wong.

The location: Changi Airport Terminal 3 and Crowne Plaza Changi Airport. With talent like this, you never know just where these stars could be headed.

AFTON BY AFTON CHEN

Just months after graduating from Raffles Design Institute (RDI) in June, Afton Chen, 22, is already working on her label.

Fashion designer Desmond Yang had picked her from 13 RDI fashion degree graduates for a six-month mentorship that includes developing her own line.

To be stocked at his boutique Abyzz in Millenia Walk, the womenswear line is set to hit shelves in two weeks' time. Her menswear designs featured here are available by special order.

Describe the featured collection.

Jackets, draped tops and outerwear create layered silhouettes that emphasise beautiful facets of the human body.

Who's the collection for?

(American singer and godmother of punk) Patti Smith. My collection depicts my view on the future of menswear where silhouettes become gender ambiguous and boundaries are blurred, something she did well without losing the masculine aspect.

How can one carry off the look?

My collection might look a bit bizarre in terms of colours and the use of knits but the cuts are very wearable. You just need an aloof attitude and a certain degree of bohemian insouciance.

What's one must-have item for the season?

Voile shirts with covered plackets in romantic colours such as soft pink.

Leather jacket, $569, cowl knit top, $159, and denim pants, $139, all from Afton by Afton Chen. E-mail afton@ymail.com or call 9117-2829

BENWU BY BEN WU

Better known for his six-year-old womenswear label Tian, Ben Wu, 37, is going back to his roots in interior design.

After presenting a whimsical collection of sculptural, shell-like dresses at the Blueprint local showcase at Singapore Fashion Festival in April, he is back to impress with an eponymous line.

Updating classics like the shift dress and cap-sleeved blouse with architecture- inspired touches, he was invited to present the collection at the Bangkok International Fashion Fair in August.

Describe the featured collection.

It's about contrast. A mostly neutral colour palette explodes with great volume and shocking colour accents. There are clean, smooth, shiny surfaces and textured, rippled finishes. I was inspired by the concept of a moment of motion. In certain static positions, the body can still look dynamic and alive and I wanted to channel that feel in my collection.

Who's the collection for?

An urbanite in transit. She is highly individualistic and also inclined to a little adventure.

How can one carry off the look?

Shoulder details are in. With this top-heavy look, it will make sense to create the illusion of a slender bottom with something more tight-fitting or in a dark colour.

What's one must-have item for the season?

Bold, artistic accessories like chunky necklaces or interesting charms.

Linen dress with matching bottom, $650, by benWu, from www.benwu.com.sg (available online only)

ANTEBELLUM BY CHIA WEI CHOONG

The highs never seem to crest for Chia Wei Choong. Last night, the 24-year-old teamed up with eight Singapore-based designers to organise a fashion show sponsored by tyre company Bridgestone at Old School in an independant show.

That is one more feat to add to this young gun's list of achievements. They include winning last year's Singapore Fashion Designer Contest and Asian Young Fashion Designer Contest.

He went on to set up his label Antebellum within a year of these coups - all without completing fashion school.

Describe the featured collection.

It's based on the concepts of disillusionment and enlightenment with colours being mostly black, white and pastel. There's also a mixture of tailored look and sportswear that creates a casual elegance.

Who's the collection for?

Somebody progressive, confident and who understands himself. I guess he is someone I aspire to be, a fantasy self.

How can one carry off the look?

You should always make any outfit your own. As my designs can be quite edgy, I recommend mixing them with pieces from your wardrobe to create your own look.

What's one must-have item for the season?

A great pair of shoes, be they a pair of DrMartens boots, chunky brogues or classic lace-ups. Shoes are the full stop to any outfit.

Cotton shirt, $315, striped cotton and chiffon tailcoat jacket and cotton pants by Antebellum, prices unavailable, from Front Row, 5 Ang Siang Road

ALLDRESSEDUP BY THE LINK

It's alldressedup and going everywhere.

We're talking about the The Link's 31/2-year-old label by designer Sven Tan, 28, best known for its eclectic, girly and highly detailed designs.

After showing at Paris Fashion Week for the past 21/2 years, it made its debut at New York Fashion Week in September.

It is sold in 70 stores worldwide, including posh American department stores Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, Hong Kong's Lane Crawford and British online designer store Net-A-Porter.

Describe the featured collection.

The designs are based on an imaginary journey through the ocean, with influences from the colours of the oyster to ancient eastern nautical details, hence the use of knots, multiple drawcords and dice braiding.

Who's the collection for?

The brand embraces a youthful, optimistic and free-spirited attitude towards living and every woman who embraces or aspires to such qualities can feel connected with our clothes.

How can one carry off the look?

Accessories play an important role in completing the look. Our line of accessories, which consists mainly of various braided necklaces this season and handcrafted by the alldressedup team of artisans, complements the ready-to-wear collection.

What's one must-have item for the season?

Whatever the model is wearing in an alldressedup ad campaign.

Satin dress, $579, acetate cigarette pants, $499, handbraided grosgrain ribbon collar piece, $389, all from alldressedup, 02-37 Paragon

HANSEL BY JO SOH

Central Saint Martins graduate Jo Soh, 32, prefers to let her work speak for her.

The bespectacled designer, known for her quiet demeanour, has seen her label Hansel stocked in over 10 Australian boutiques in cities like Queensland and Melbourne since 2004. It is also sold in local multi-label boutique Felt in Capitol Building.

Her fun, flirty designs have also been seen on celebs like Aussie female rock group The Veronicas and British actress Emily Barclay, who wore her design to the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Soh does national duty too: She was commissioned to design the team outfits for the Singapore Disabled Athletic Contingent for the Asean Para-Games 2008.

Describe the featured collection.

It's called Square-y Mary, a girl so called because she's mad about anything square.

I've been fascinated by the number of things in our environment that is based on the basic square form.

Who's the collection for?

I always design with myself as muse.

How can one carry off the look?

My clothes are pretty simple to carry off. What I like are balance and opposites.

For a statement piece such as the red handkerchief argyle dress, I'd recommend keeping hair and make-up simple. For footwear, either heels and sandals would work, depending on the occasion.

What's one must-have item for the season?

Either the argyle dress or the bright scarlet playsuit. Playsuits in silk are less common.

Handkerchief-print argyle dress by Hansel, $419, from Felt Boutique, 01-18 Capitol Building

ABYZZ BY DESMOND YANG

After five years and multiple awards, including the top prize at last year's inaugural International Apparel Federation Designer Awards, Desmond Yang, 35, finally has a store of his own.

In July, he opened his first stand-alone boutique Abyzz in Millenia Walk.

Don't expect his usual offering of trendy but safe mid-priced (from $79 to $279) everyday wear stocked at Isetan Scotts. His new store shows off his penchant for more avant garde pieces or what he calls 'transformational designs', such as a jacket that can be turned into a pair of pants.

Describe the featured collection.

I used lots of different tones of textured black fabric. The volume and unusual drape of the silhouettes give the clothes an edgy look.

Who's the collection for?

She is a confident, well-travelled woman who knows what she wants in life. She is strong, full of zest and someone who stands out.

How can one carry off the look?

Well, my designs allow the wearer to change the whole look easily for different events according to her mood and fancy.

What's one must-have item for the season?

A single-seam, three-quarter length pants and two-piece tee that are joined as one from Abyzz.

Asymmetrical cotton top, $139, three-quarter pants with fold details, $159, both from Abyzz, 01-50 Millenia Walk; leggings, gloves and boots, stylist's own

POSSE BY JAY QUEK AND MADELINE WONG

The Posse of Jay Quek, 28, and Madeline Wong, 25, might seem to have grown quiet after showing at the Singapore Fashion Festival.

Rest assured though that the elfin-faced pair have been working as hard as Santa's elves. When they are not lecturing at the Raffles Design Institute, they are at their Ang Mo Kio studio putting their 15-piece spring/summer 2009 collection together by hand.

The clothes will hit the racks of Trixilini in Millenia Walk and Retail Therapy in Wheelock Place early next month.

Describe the featured collection.

Soft, billowing silhouettes contrasted with graphic, structured details and colours and prints inspired by the outdoors. Think azure blues and canary yellows. The collection was inspired by 1970s pictures of (Mexican socialite and writer) Gloria Guinness in her ponchos and djellabas - a latter-day Nefertiti and the epitome of casual elegance.

Who's the collection for?

Gloria Guinness, of course - infused with the modernity of Charlotte Casiraghi (daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco).

How can one carry off the look?

Get a healthy tan and a smooth wax. Layer tops over lace slip lingerie for a touch of sensuality. Oh, and oversized vintage sunglasses are a must.

What's one must-have item for the season?

Optimism.

Printed silk chiffon tunic with handstitched neckline detailing by Posse, $489, available next month from Trixilini, 01-57 Millenia Walk, and Retail Therapy, 03-13 Wheelock Place; shoes, model's own

NICHOLAS BY NICHOLAS WONG

Don't be surprised to see a New York hipster strolling through the bohemian Greenwich Village in a Nicholas Wong creation.

The 35-year-old designer, who won the Singapore leg of 2004's Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Awards, broke into the Big Apple and Chicago markets in the first quarter of this year and is now sold at two boutiques in these cities.

Malayisan multi-label store Materiel at mega mall KL Pavilion also began stocking his clothes in September.

At home, he moved from a 602 sq ft shop at Stamford House to a new

861 sq ft flagship boutique in Marina Square in September.

Describe the featured collection.

It's a continuation of my spring/summer 2008 collection called My Favourite Shirt where I play with the detailing of the classic shirt such as the collar and create asymmetrical structures. The tailoring is clean while the look is dark, edgy and bold.

Who's the collection for?

It would have to be Katie Sketch, the lead vocalist for (now-defunct Canadian indie rock group) The Organ, who perfects the androgynous look.

How can one carry off the look?

Comfort is always key. Only when you are comfortable with what you are wearing would you be confident enough to carry off a look.

What's one must-have item for the season?

A lined, tailored wool-blend vest which would still work in our weather.

Cotton tank top, $59.90, cotton vest, $199.90, cotton jacket, $249.90, cotton jodphurs, $189.90, all from nicholas, 02-323 Marina Square; leather lace-up booties, $225, from Nine West, 01-33 Raffles City

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on Nov 7, 2008.