The art crowd obviously knows how to dress well.

The invite-only opening of premier contemporary art fair Art Stage Singapore on Wednesday evening saw more than 7,000 guests turning up in their fashionable best.

Held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the ticketed fair opens to the public on Thursday and runs till Sunday. It is part of Singapore Art Week, of which The Straits Times is the official media partner.

More than 150 galleries from 29 countries are featured in the annual fair's fifth run, which also sees the biggest local participation with 34 Singapore galleries.

The Straits Times caught up with some of the best-dressed guests while the wine flowed.

1. Phuong Dang, in her 30s, Singapore-based Vietnamese abstract artist

The floor-length toga dress from Phillip Lim stood out with its bold floral prints and ruched detail.

Quote: "I like the print of this dress. It may be form-fitting but it is very comfortable to walk around in."

2. Alexander Kandisaputro, 27, director of PMJ Group

Matching a sharply tailored suit from Alexander McQueen with a salmon pink shirt from Jean Paul Gaultier, he accented his look with sleek Christian Louboutin shoes and a Bottega Veneta bag.

Quote: "I dress my best all the time because I feel that fashion has the power to transform a person and I like to feel transformed."

3. Anca Rujoiu, 30, curator of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore

Simple yet classy, her black trousers by Nana & Bird anchored the scarlet DKNY blouse that played up her bright red lips. The necklace, also by Nana & Bird, added a nice luxe touch.

Quote: "I wanted to look more vibrant and inject more colour into my outfit for the event, so I tried to avoid wearing an all-black outfit."

4. Elio de Berardinis, 28, NTU research associate

To showcase the geometric prints on the eye-catching silk pants from Lanvin, he wore a plain white collared shirt along with a pair of black shoes from Prada.

Quote: "My job requires me to wear a lab coat every day and I rarely get to attend such a fun event. So I decided to dress up and go for something that is stylish but also good for the weather."

5. Celina Lin, in her 40s, private art collector

A light, structural Calvin Klein jacket over a casual Prada sports top added a touch of class as she finished her look with a roomy Hermes handbag and platform shoes.

Quote: "I will be walking around a lot during the event so I wanted to have ease of movement but still stay warm in the air-conditioned venue."

6. Paresh Maity, 52, prolific Indian painter

He showed off his artistic flair by working golden motifs into his one-of-a-kind long coat which he designed himself. A necklace by fellow artist and sculptor Narayan Chandra Sinha also helped to break up the monotony of an all-black outfit.

Quote: "I wanted to look special for the special VIP preview, so I decided to dress up in my own design. The motifs on my outfit are actually inspired from the paintings I have in my gallery now."

7. Allison Liu, 40, professional art collector at Bergen Art Investment

A red tartan skirt from Marc Jacobs, sneakers from Prada and a floral hair accessory from Alexander Wang gave a fun and feminine twist to an otherwise monochrome palette.

Quote: "For me, this is one of the biggest art events of the year, so I wanted to show off my artistic flair and look special."

8. Yu Yi Gang, 45, personal assistant to British artist duo Gilbert & George

The bold graphic blazer by an unknown designer breathed new life into the typical shirt and blazer get-up. A cream-coloured straw hat topped off the quirky look.

Quote: "I just wear whatever I feel like wearing without caring about what others may think."

9. Charwei Tsai, 39, Taiwanese artist

As one of the few guests who opted for an ethnic costume, she was a picture of elegance in the beautiful cream and blue sari. The interesting silver jewellery cranked up the fashion quotient.

Quote: "I bought the sari when I was in Mumbai, India, and I think it is perfect for the weather here. Not only is it fun, but I also love the kind of fabric and stitching that the sari has."

Book it

ART STAGE SINGAPORE

When: Till Sunday (Jan 22 to 25)

Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level B2

Admission: $32 for a one-day pass and $64 for a four-day pass are available from Sistic (go to sistic.com.sg or call 6348-5555).