JUST call Cristina Tridente Adelaide’s own spice girl.

The couture+love+madness designer and former Adelaide Fashion Festival director is celebrating a South Australian first for local designers who have just taken part in the State Government’s largest ever trade mission to South East Asia.

Cristina returned home yesterday after successfully showcasing local brands Simmone Standing The Label, Liza Emanuele, Scott & Scarce andher own couture+love+madness at parades in Bangkok, Mumbai and Delhi and a display in Jaipur.

Co-directing the events in India with Cristina was Mumbai-based Adelaide expat Chloe Papazahariakis whose label Lotus by Chloe also featured.

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“We are exposing the South Australian fashion industry to the world," Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith tells Confidential. He says while India is already SA’s third largest export market, already worth more than $800 million – the only way is up.

“South Australian businesses are using the contacts made in India to attract investment, export their premium products and services and drive job growth in this state,” he says.

Cristina, who was part of the trade delegation, co-directed the parades with Chloe and has been busy networking.

Teaming up with TAFE SA’s Cathie Brown to promote the Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design to potential international students, Cristina says companies are lining up to discuss opportunities to manufacture and distribute SA labels throughout India.

“Working with local models from a variety of agencies, five South Australian labels were showcased on an international scale, the first of its type for our local designers,’ Cristina says.

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