Photo by Claire Byrne / Phnom Penh Post

Maddy Green (left) and Nimol Pong hope the catwalk show will be a cakewalk.

Strut. Strike a pose. And vogue. One of the town’s prettiest boutiques is showcasing its wares to the Siem Reap fash pack. Beau Fou is the cute clothes shop upstairs from the just-as-darling Joe To Go cafe. Both enterprises work as not-for-profit businesses, passing on their cash to parent organisation The Global Child.

While everyone in town is a fan of the café’s cookies and coffees, fashion show organiser Maddy Green says the bou-tique needs a little push into the spotlight.

“A lot of people know about Joe To Go, so we thought a fashion show would be a great way of showing people there was more above the café, and also showcasing all the lovely things they’ve got up there.”

The fashion show will take place on May 11 from 6pm. Attendees will be welcomed with a free drink and special membership to the store.

“It’s in the boutique so it’s going to be a boutique fashion show as well,” explains Maddy. “It’s quite small up there. There’s only room for about 50 people, so it’s going to be quite good fun I think, unlike a regular fashion show which can be a bit formal.”

Beau Fou stocks a wide range of threads from cute dresses and tees from around Southeast Asia, to locally made fair-trade accessories. Nimol Pong is the business director for the shop and is really excited about the boutique hosting its first showcase.

She says she thinks it will be quite chic and fun, and notes that there’s a combination of styles between Asian and western on sale.

“I would say our dresses are our best-selling pieces. A lot of our customers are tourists so I try to buy things that are a little more fancy, so it will work when they get home as well. “

Maddy and Nimol are still on the look-out for a mix of models to take part in the show.  Any budding Cindys, Naomis, Claudias and Kates can pop into the shop and have a chat with the girls.

Maddy, who is originally from the UK and recently relocated to Siem Reap, says it’s crucial for small businesses to lend some of their time to marketing their enterprise.

“Sometimes I think artists or small business don’t have a whole lot of time for marketing. They’re too busy trying to keep the business great and focusing on the products, but actually getting people to know about it, getting the word out, is something that’s important to make time for.”

Nimol, who has worked with The Global Child since 2005, hopes the fashion show will not only showcase the boutique, but also the wider Siem Reap fashion scene.

“I think it’s getting a little bit bigger, especially because of Phnom Penh. They had their first Cambodian Fashion Week a few months ago, so I’m sure sooner or later it’s going to pick up in Siem Reap.”

Tickets for the Beau Fou Fashion Show cost $2.50 in advance, or $3 on the door. All proceeds go to The Global Child.