Little Joe grows

MELBOURNE: Womenswear boutique, Little Joe by Gail Elliot, has opened its second Australian flagship store in Melbourne. Alongside the Little Joe by Gail Elliott label, the store will stock a range of international women's fashion and lifestyle labels from Los Angeles, Puella, Garcon and Porridge. It will also stock mohair capes and scarves from Danish label Dea Kubail, and jewellery from New York brands Carolina Barbieri and Manon Von Gerkan for the first time. The new store follows the opening of the first Australian Little Joe by Gail Elliott store in Sydney in 2005 and is located at 366 Toorak Road, South Yarra, Melbourne.

:Pearls of Wisdom
PERTH: The Autore Group of Companies has announced the acquisition of the Clipper Pearling Group based in Broome, Western Australia. This the second pearl farm purchased by the group following the acquisition of PT Autore Pearl Culture in Indonesia last year. While Autore has been responsible for the marketing and distribution of the Clipper harvests for some 10 years, this is the group's first direct proprietary interest in the production of South Sea Pearls in Australia.

:Decjuba blossoms
SYDNEY: Womenswear chain Decjuba has opened its third flagship store in Sydney. Set inside the Sydney Central Plaza, the store will stock a range of apparel and accessories from the label's spring/summer 06 collection. The opening follows Decjuba's first venture into the New Zealand market with the company unveiling a boutique in St Lucas earlier this year. The company now boasts nine stores throughout the country with an additional 27 locations throughout Myer department stores.

:Feet first
SYDNEY: The National Footwear Retailers Association is set to host a footwear fitting course. Staged at Sydney hotel The Menzies on August 19 and 20, the two-day course is aimed at retailers interested in the theory and practical instruction of shoe fitting and includes instruction from qualified podiatrists and other shoe professionals explaining the function of the foot and how shoes are constructed. For more: 03 8662 5377

:Just head to Myer
MELBOURNE: Ex-chief of apparel giant Just Group Howard McDonald is heading for the ranks of Myer executives to bring some fashion wisdom to the recently sold department store's mix. McDonald resigned from Just Group last month after nine years as CEO, during which time sales doubled to nearly $700 million and profits rose 800 per cent. It is believed he will act for Just Group in a consultancy role.