KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah sprang to her feet and helped eight-month pregnant designer Melinda Looi who slipped and fell during the launch of the Stylo KL Fashion Festival.

Looi slipped and fell on the catwalk as she was walking out with her models to take a bow at the end of a fashion show during the grand opening of the festival.

The Queen, who was on the catwalk, helped Looi to her feet.

She was among the designers present at the event.

Others were Key Ng, Jonathan Cheng, hair guru Winnie Loo and Jendela Batik chief operating officer-cum-designer Faisol Abdullah.

The glitzy event kicked off last night and saw some 450 people from the fashion and corporate world arriving in some of the latest and most stylish wear.

Yeoh said it was an honour for Stylo to have the Queen launching the event.

Yeoh added that the idea to have Stylo, a celebration held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur Formula One Grand Prix, came up during a visit to Monaco recently.

"I was fascinated by how people in Monaco celebrated and had a good time. I thought we could do the same for KL," she said.

Some 200 members of the foreign media are expected to cover the nine-day fashion extravaganza.

Yesterday's catwalk showcased local designer Melinda Looi's couture 2008 collection with hair by L'Oreal Professional and make-up by Shu Uemura under the theme "The Art of Beauty".

Also present were Star Publications (M) Bhd executive director and group chief operating officer Datin Linda Ngiam, The Star group chief editor Datuk Wong Chun

Wai and executive editor June Wong.

The Star, The Edge and the New Straits Times are media sponsors of Stylo KL Fashion Festival.