NATIONAL: Organisers of Swim Fashion Week have been forced to pull the plug on a 2010 installment due to a lack of corporate sponsorship.
IMG Fashion Asia Pacific, also responsible for staging Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, has revealed support from corporate partner Mulpha Australia was not enough to sustain the event into the new year.
Regional marketing and communications director Graeme Lewsey was confident a 2011 installment would go ahead with the right level of support.
“As of last Friday, [the team at IMG] were working at full steam but unfortunately, the level of corporate funding means we simply can't move ahead.”
Lewsey said all designers which had expressed interest in participating in the 2010 showcase had been notified of the decision. This included swimwear labels Zimmermann and White Sands.
Lewsey said a seperate exhibition space for swimwear brands will be set up at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, which will run from May 3 to 7 in Sydney. A group swimwear show is also likely to take place.
The inaugural Swim Fashion Week took place at Queensland's Sanctuary Cove resort - developed by Mulpha Australia – earlier this year from February 23 to 26. Premium partners included drinks company Peroni, haircare brand John Frieda and cosmetics label Issada.
UPDATE: IMG ASIA PACIFIC DENIES REPORTS THAT QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND HAD PULLED FUNDING FOR SWIM FASHION WEEK.