Australia:WA Fashion Awards finalists announced

 

The 36 finalists of this year’s WA Fashion Awards (WAFAs) were announced at Perth Fashion Festival’s (PFF) exclusive Style Circle event held last night at Wolfe Lane.

The finalists stretch across nine categories honouring students, writers, creators and models from the elite talent pool of Western Australian fashion.

The categories include WA Designer of the Year, Designer of Tomorrow, Fine Details, Runway Model of the Year, Photographic Model of the Year, Hot New Talent, Creative Edge, Best Blogger and Best Dressed Boutique.

Festival Director Mariella Harvey-Hanrahan said this year’s finalists represent the high calibre talent in our local fashion industry. “Every nominee in this year’s Awards bring something different to his or her category, and really show why Western Australia is fast becoming a global fashion destination,” Ms Harvey-Hanrahan said.

The finalists were nominated earlier this year by the State’s influential fashion industry community known as Style Circle. Style Circle includes more than 200 Western Australian fashion industry professionals including designers, stylists, creatives, beauty and hair stylists, media, models and modeling industry members and photographers.

The Style Circle members will vote on the finalists within each category and the winners will be announced at the WAFAs, set to be held in November this year.

WA Fashion Awards categories and nominees include:
Photographic Model of the Year: Rosie Tupper (Viviens), Emily Green (Viviens), Holly Caiulo (Chadwicks), Caris Tiivel (Chadwicks), Jessi Moloney (Scene), Jonathon Woodward (Scene)

Runway Model of the Year: Sarah Kate (Viviens), Sally Paten (Viviens), Holly Caiulo (Chadwicks), Fiona Thomas (Chadwicks), Evelyn Leckie (Scene), Rebecca Jones (Scene)

Hot New Talent: Stef Roberts (Viviens), Sarah Tilekke (Viviens), Georgia Herbert (Chadwicks), Gabrielle Sullivan(Chadwicks), Morgana Powell (Scene), Paige Bavich (Scene)

WA Designer of the Year: Flannel, Ae’lkemi, One Fell Swoop

Designer of Tomorrow: Little Gracie, Ange Lang, Zhivago

Fine Details: Toto Moto, Pinchandspoon, Harpers

Creative Edge: Pip McManus: Fashion Illustrator, Marie Cain: Hair Director, Hannah McGrath: Stylist

Best Blogger: Dropstitch, Style Voyuer, Bonnie Friday

Best Dressed Boutique: Zara Bryson, S2, Wasteland  

UK:Tracey Boyd launches key pieces for John Lewis

 

Featuring Boyd’s signature style of ornate embellishment and embroidery, the collection takes inspiration from key pieces in her fashion archive. Available at selected John Lewis branches and online at website - the designer range includes accessible mini and maxi dresses in chiffon and jersey in a vivid rainbow colour palette.

Tracey Boyd, says: “For me, the name John Lewis stands for tradition, quality and fairness and is a very important part of my British heritage. I have always admired the way the John Lewis Partnership works, so when they approached me, I was very happy to design an exclusive collection for them.”

Taking influence from the sequin clad starlets of Studio 54, Boyd’s collection has a strong seventies theme, an era set to dominate SS11 fashions. The range is figure flattering whilst still incorporating Boyd’s chic patterns and impeccable detail.

Boyd, continues: “The designs encapsulate all my favourite Boyd trademarks: gorgeous seventies sequins, beaded shifts, exquisite embroideries and dreamy daisy prints for fabulous summer parties. I believe these beautiful clothes will make you feel happy, confident, bright and beautiful.”

Jo Hooper, Head of Womenswear Buying at John Lewis, says: “It’s such a privilege to collaborate with Tracey on this project which is a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio of designer collaborations. Tracey’s collection is vibrant and fun, but most importantly accessible and approachable for every woman.”

Tracey Boyd Career Snapshot:
• A self-taught and self-financed fashion designer whose career began in illustration, Tracey founded her modern womenswear label ‘Boyd’ in 1996.

• The label fast became a favourite for the red carpet with celebrities including Kate Winslett, Rachel Weisz, Kirsten Dunst and Keira Knightly modelling her designs.

• Following the success of its first catwalk show in 1999, Boyd was bought and stocked in some of the most famous fashion boutiques in the world including Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Neimann Marcus, Harrods, Selfridges and Galeries Lafayette.

• In 2000, Tracey won ‘New Generation’ award at the British Fashion Awards – other nominees were Stella McCartney and Matthew Williamson.

• 2001 saw the Boyd flagship store open in London SW1 showcasing the full catwalk collection as well as swimwear, shoes, accessories, vintage and interior ranges.  

Australia:Former spice girl Mel B adds X-Factor to Perth Fashion Festival

 

Perth Fashion Festival has confirmed that former Spice Girl and X-Factor judge, Mel B will be jetting into Perth to attend this year’s 13th annual Festival.

The new mum will be sure to spice things up in the front row with a host of events to attend including PFF’s exclusive launch party featuring one of Western Australia’s most coveted designers, Aurelio Costarella on 21 September.

Perth Fashion Festival Director, Mariella Harvey-Hanrahan said PFF is thrilled that Mel B will be attending this year’s Festival and is looking forward to introducing her to the amazing creative talents on offer in WA.

“Mel has a very unique sense of style and she’s not afraid to express herself creatively. With so many WA designers taking to the runway at this year’s Festival we’re confident she’ll be inspired by the diversity of WA’s design talent,” Ms Harvey-Hanrahan said.

“During her time as a Spice Girl, Mel was a role model for millions of girls and her international appeal will help shine the spotlight on PFF and the talented array of designers featuring this year,” Ms Harvey-Hanrahan added.

More than 130 designers will participate in this year’s Festival. Fashion Paramount, PFF’s fashion mecca, will feature stand-alone runway shows by the cream of WA’s fashion talent including Story By Tang, Ae’lkemi and S2. National designers, Yeojin Bae and Magdalena Velevska will also be joining the WA talent at Paramount this year.

Since the Spice Girls, Mel B has pursued a solo recording career, made an appearance on US Dancing With The Stars, starred in her own reality show, Mel B: It’s A Scary World and is currently fronting as a judge on Australia’s X-Factor.

The Perth Fashion Festival calendar includes over 40 free, ticketed and invitation-only high fashion events.

Perth Fashion Festival will take place from 21 – 27 September 2011.  

Australia:Apparel Group buys designer Podgornik’s fashion label

 

In one of the latest deals in the fashion boutique sector, Apparel Group Australia has bought Willow, designer Kit Podgornik’s luxury fashion and lingerie label.

There is an overall decrease in retail spending in Australia, and the country’s boutique fashion sector is witnessing a downtrend for over a year. In July this year, jeans label Bettina Liano was put into administration, followed by Belinda International in last week of August.

The present downtrend is being seen as a good investment opportunity by several larger companies and department stores, which are showing interest in acquiring valuable brands. Earlier this year, Myer acquired Sass & Bide for over AUD 40 million.

Fashion label Willow was unveiled at the Australian Fashion Week in 2003. Currently, it has three boutiques, one in Sydney and two in Melbourne. Its products are also sold globally at David Jones and other stores.

Apparel Group , the new owner of Willow, is home to the iconic Australian fashion brands Sportscraft and SABA.
 

South Africa:Joel Janse wows SA Fashion Week audience

 

A feast of local fashion is on the cards for Johannesburg in September as SA’s premier designer platform, SA Fashion Week, prepares to launch the Winter 2012 Designer Collections, its 20th seasonal showing since inception in 1997, as well as the inaugural SA Fashion Week Designer Capsule Collection with official retail partner, Edgars, a three-year partnership to showcase and promote leading local designers.

The two-week fashion blitz that kicks off on 22 September 2011 will wrap up with the Summer 2011 Designer Pop Up Shop from 30 September – 2 October 2011 in Sandton City’s Fountain Court.

The SA Fashion Week Designer Capsule Collection at Edgars is scheduled to go live on 21 September at the Melrose Arch flagship store where it will be a permanent installation of eight to ten designers housed in a specially demarcated 70sqm space.

Six permanent designers - Clive Rundle, Lunar, Colleen Eitzen, Black Coffee, Two and Chanelle will be supplemented by between two or three additional designers which will rotate every month. The ranges will be seasonal and will include accessories and hats. The SAFW Winter 2012 Collections will include top local designers such as Amanda Laird Cherry, Clive Rundle, Ephraim Molingoana, Tiaan Nagel, Naked Ape and Vesselina Pentcheva as well as bright new fashion star, Joel Janse van Vuuren who wowed audiences with his Summer 2011 collection earlier this year.

It will also include the Elle/Mr. Price New Talent Show featuring eight new designers. The Elle/Mr Price New Talent show has become a highlight of the annual fashion calendar and is generally regarded as the fashion industry’s finest talent incubator having produced several top designers such as Terrence Bray, Jacques van der Watt, Ella Buter, Tiaan Nagel and David Thlale since its inception fourteen years ago.

The SAFW 2011 student competition sponsored by Vodacom 4U, which this year tasked second and final year design students across the country with the challenge of recycling an existing denim garment into a dress, is expected to deliver an equally sparkling burst of creativity as they aim to meet the brief to deliver garments that are high design, contemporary and de-constructed and using printing, crafting or other handwork to “rework” the fabric. The winners will be announced at the SAFW Pop Up Shop on Saturday 3 September. The winners in all the categories as well as the winning colleges, will receive Apple Mac products. The prize for the winning final year student also includes an internship with a top local designer.

Having had a sneak peek at the key trends for winter 2012, shoppers will be able to stock up on all the hot items for summer from 60 local fashion and accessory designers the following week as the Summer 2011 Designer Pop Up Shop goes live for three days in Sandton City’s Fountain Court.

The SA Fashion Week Winter 2012 Designer Collections will be staged at the Crowne Plaza Johannesburg - Rosebank.  

China:International Fashion Festival to start next week

 

From September 7 to 9th, the grand 13th Jiangsu International Fashion Festival is going to be held in Hexi International Expo of Nanjing. The festival is organized by National Industry Department and Jiangsu province government, on the occasion, three exhibition halls will be used with size of nearly 45,000 kilometers. It is predicted that tens of thousands of visitors from more than 10 countries will be present.

The fashion festival has been a good platform for those dresses, textile enterprises or dress trading companies to have an idea of dress trends, and get some way of cooperation. More about promotion or publicity will be made to allow more people the chance to visit the festival and understand the traditional Chinese dress and local specials. Shenzhen Wuzhou Changlian International Trading Co. is going to attend such a grand festival to improve themselves.

As a leading dress distributor, Wuzhou Changlian always puts the customer first, and in the basis of present materials, designs, elaborate handcrafts to expand them more and more, and tried trendy styles into the dress on and on to keep up to the trend. Aiming to reach all customers with different budgets and ages, complexions, Wuzhou Changlian is offering cheap formal dresses, or for those special occasions, like cheap evening dresses or cheap cocktail dresses.

Meanwhile, elegant and luxurious dress are also available in dozens of colors. Besides, for those customers who don't want to spend more out of budget, we also introduced models of dresses which can present in different occasions, thus customer just need to alter the related jewelries to suit well.  

USA:Nolcha Fashion Week adds Fashion’s Night Out Pop-Up Shop

 

Nolcha Fashion Week: New York, now in its tenth season, has announced its’ official calendar of events for September Fashion Week, which will run September 8th to September 14th, 2011, including a pop-up shop for Fashion’s Night Out, a slew of networking events and after-parties, and the Official Nolcha Fashion Lounge and Runway Presentations.

Thursday, September 8th – Fashion’s Night Out
Opia Lounge -130 East 57th Street
Nolcha will be kicking things off on September 8th for Fashion’s Night Out with an Independent Fashion Pop-Up Shop, open 5pm – 10pm. The shop will be hosted by the New York Post, Ricardo Ralph Lopez, Farasha Boutique and GlobalFashionBrands.com. Shoppers will be treated to sales and new season exclusives, a beauty bar by Kroma Makeup and Kiss Nails, passed cocktails courtesy of Don Q Rum, and the first 100 shoppers will receive a VIP Gift Bag.

Participating designers include: Adriana-Maria, Alice Yim, Amabile, Birna, Bodyrock Sport, Carlos Luna, Elly Clay, Estela Balan, Jess Rizzuti, Jonano, Kahri, Lois Eastlund, Maleku Jewelry, Monica Macha, Moonlight Jewelry, Nora Del Busto, and Sava.

The Pop-Up Shop is benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and will be located at Opia Lounge on the mezzanine level of the Renaissance Hotel (130 East 57th Street at Lexington Avenue).

Monday, September 12th – Nolcha Fashion Lounge & Runway Presentations
Metropolitan Pavilion – 125 West 18th Street
The Nolcha Fashion Lounge will run all day on September 12th from 12pm – 8pm, including an Apparel & Accessories Exhibition, along with pampering and other perks. Participating designers include: Afia, Carrie Parry, Devon Thomas, eggcream, Maleku Jewelry, Rainbow People, Reflections African Jewelry, Soham Dave, Sonja Lang, Star by Mar, Street Star, and William Watson.

There will be three runway presentations, at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm respectively.
1pm – Runway Show (Doors, 2:30pm)
Designers: Carlos Luna | Sarahi House of Fashion | K.Borgella

4pm – Runway Show (Doors, 3:30pm)
Designers: Zula Studio with Maleku Jewelry | Amber Patton | Amelia Boland | Daisy & Elizabeth

7pm – Runway Show (Doors, 6:30pm)
Designers: Danilo Gabrielli | Guljan Yrys | Kabukiu

The Nolcha Fashion Lounge & Runway Presentations will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street between 6th & 7th Avenue).

Sponsors include American Airlines, Don Q Rums, Kiss Nails, Kroma Make Up, LypSyl, Paul Mitchell, Publisher Ad Network, SpunLive, VitaBath and VitaminWater.