MANILA, Philippines ? It seemed rather odd that the country?s biggest retail chain hasn?t held a fashion show in over 10 years.

But on Tuesday night, SM Department Store made up for its longtime runway absence when it served as curtain-raiser for the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2009 shows at SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

?Before SM became [a mall chain], remember that it was a department store and fashion was a strong suit,? noted Millie Dizon, SM?s VP for marketing and communications.

?We wanted to partner with a group that promotes Philippine fashion,? she added.

This is SM?s second year of partnership with Runway Productions? Fashion Week franchise, and the Sys, owners of SM, came in full force to support the first night of the series of shows.

Spotted on the front row was patriarch and founder Henry Sy Sr. His wife and children, though present, were less conspicuous, opting to take seats at the back of the venue.

?We want to establish SM as a fashion store as part of efforts to upgrade the stores,? said Anthony Nocom, who sells his eponymous men?s line at SM and is also a merchandising consultant for the chain.

Nocom spearheaded the creative aspect of SM?s Tuesday show, sharing direction credits with Runway?s Joey Espino, executive producer of Fashion Week.

?We want to upgrade our appeal even among the mass market. We?re introducing global brands. We?re keeping the same price points but with trend directions from internationally known labels,? Nocom said. ?The looks are aspirational but affordable.?

Nocom put together 101 looks on Tuesday, beginning the show with resort wear from in-house brand Coco Cabana?tunics, caftans, swimwear??since we?re a resort country and it sells all year round.?

The teen?s wear, office wear and evening wear were a ?mix and match of everything in the store,? he said, including SM?s own iconic Parisian shoe line.

Recently, SM introduced global labels like Miss Couture and BCBG among its fashion offerings, plus a collection of imported accessories at SM Makati. Nocom said SM decided to focus on the department store brands for this week?s show, reserving the SM Boutique designer collections for October?s Fashion Week.

?We know that our market is also becoming brand-conscious, though not all can afford designer brands. But we?re incorporating global labels to our selections. This will be the direction of our prestige stores,? he said, referring to SM?s branches in Makati, Ortigas and Mall of Asia, among them.

?No, we?re not abandoning our core market,? Nocom added. ?We?re just upgrading our image.?