International luxury brands are taking the Malaysian capital by storm, with several big names setting up flagship stores in the past year, with more in the works.

Riding on this wave, Singapore media giant MediaCorp has launched a Malaysian edition of its successful fashion and beauty monthly, Style magazine, which hit the newsstands on Friday.

Stepping out in style, Hong Kong-based Malaysian model Danielle Graham graces the cover of the country's latest fashion glossy - Style Malaysia.

Pitched at well-travelled, fashion-savvy Malaysians, the magazine is filled with the latest trends and names to look out for at home and abroad.

This is a magazine that is so serious about fashion and beauty that it has no space for traditional women's issues at all.

Instead, it prides itself as being a vehicle for "guilt-free indulgence in the superficial things in life".

But there's nothing superficial about the revenue generated by the multi-million dollar luxury goods industry.

In a city which has seen several luxury brands open major or flagship stores in the past year with more to come, Style's entrance is timely.

The magazine is the little sister of Style Singapore, launched five years ago.

Michael Chiang, Editorial Director, MediaCorp Publishing, said: "Honestly we were a bit unsure when we tested the market. It's a Singapore brand but surprisingly most of the luxury brands had heard of the magazine and almost instantly signed up. It's really like a publisher's dream to tell them you are coming in and the ads just started falling into place."

Style Malaysia joins MediaCorporation Publishing's stable of six entertainment, lifestyle and parenting titles which include FHM Malaysia and Mother and Baby.

The company is the Malaysian publishing arm of Singapore's broadcasting giant MediaCorp, which also owns Channel NewsAsia.

Among the 350 guests attending the launch at upmarket luxury mall Starhill Gallery were models and advertisers.

Soo Shea Ping, Owner, Anya Hindmarch Malaysia, said: "I think dressing and being a woman is a lot about enjoyment of style, creating your own style and enjoying it, changing the style as you age. So I hope magazines like that will help women to understand style better and make a better choice for their own look."

Some thirty thousand copies of Style are out at newsstands across Peninsula Malaysia at just over two US dollars a copy. - CNA/ch