International Visitors at Colombiamoda find designers’ source of inspiration

The various activities have provided them with information regarding the country, all the way from its gastronomy to tourism, to give them a first hand look at the Colombian culture.

Not everything in Colombiamoda 2011 is high fashion, business deals and fashion shows. The fair has also helped promote Colombia as a country full of possibilities for both tourism and conducting business.

"Welcome to Colombia. Please try our Uchuva, an exotic fruit you can only find in our country. It is original to the Andean region, a source of vitamins and an attractive ingredient for salads, gourmet dishes and cocktails", says a woman wearing a typical dress allusive to the Colombian gastronomy, as she shares her fruit samples.

This is just one of the messages received by the 684 international buyers within the framework of Colombiamoda 2011, where they came to have business meetings with 450 Colombian exporters from the textiles and apparel sector. The strategy, led by PROCOLOMBIA, is intended to showing visitors where Colombian designers' inspiration comes from.

International buyers can receive information all the way from Jose María Córdova International Airport, in the bus driving them down to the city, at the hotel, and finally at the Plaza Mayor de Medellín pavilions, where the fair is taking place, mainly pertaining to four different fields: biodiversity, culture, gastronomy and tourism.

Biodiversity woman, for instance, gives them bracelets to remind them their stay in Colombia has to be in harmony with the ecosystem; the Culture woman hands out booklets; the Tourism woman hands out postcards to promote the country's destinations; and the country's gastronomy and typical fruits.

Colombiamoda is the most important fair in the sector, organized by Inexmoda, the Institute for Exports and Fashion.