Plastic fantastic

MELBOURNE: Brazilian shoe brand Melissa will set up residency at Melbourne's Myer Basement and Sydney's Strand Arcade this August. The latest collection, Rock and Love, features a range of men's and women's shoes made from plastic with select sneakers also featuring suede and graffiti. Two styles from the collection will also be stocked at The Corner Shop with prices starting from $100 to $300. For more: melissaaustralia.com.au

Making a marc
NATIONAL: American designer label marc jacobs will launch a select range of watches into the Australian market this August. Licensed by Fossil Group Australia, each watch is constructed with Japanese quartz movement, mineral crystal and is water resistant. Military-inspired men's styles will feature canvas straps with lettered indexes that spell marc jacobs while other styles include gold and silver bracelets and charms. Prices range from $US125 to $US300 ($A167 to $A402).

Paddington's Walkabout
SYDNEY: A new pocket guide for stores, restaurants and cafes in the Paddington and Woollahra region is set to boost struggling sales in the area. The president of the Paddington Chamber of Commerce Andrew McDonald said since the opening of Bondi Junction Westfield, sales in the Paddington Retail Markets have been down by as much as 30 per cent. The Paddington/Woollahra winter/spring 2006 is the first of a series of guide maps presently underway. The guide, Urban Walkabout, hit streets on July 15. For more: urbanwalkabout.com

Bris-Vegas lights up
BRISBANE: A so-called "gap" in the Brisbane nightlife and fashion scene has prompted a group of rag trade enthusiasts to gather their resources together and launch a 14-week fashion extravaganza. Dubbed BED - Brisbane Exposure for Designers - and run by lifestyle media group SoBrisbane, the program features the city's "hottest" models, retailers and up-and-coming and established designers in a weekly showcase. Among the labels and retailers already signed up to appear in the event are Shilo, Lucid Laundry, Pierucci, NYOU and Check. The event, launched officially on July 12 and is expected to run until the end of October. For more: sobrisbane.com.au

Nifty Nike
NATIONAL: Sport and lifestyle brand Nike has launched a new online training program aimed at assisting staff at retail stores selling its product. Dubbed Nikeology.com, the program's website guides logged on staff through a series of educational pages designed to test their knowledge of the brand's products. Devised by advertising agency Tribal DDB, the site awards top-scoring users with an invitation to an underground "Nikeology" party. An alternative version has been developed for the brand's New Zealand-based staff.

Burberry blossoms
SYDNEY: British brand Burberry has opened a flagship store in the middle of Sydney. The King Street store, the brand's second in Australia, occupies three flours with the interior based on Burberry London's Bond Street store. Included in the mix of ready-to-wear ranges in the store is its trademark trench coats, together with men's and women's apparel, accessories and eyewear. An official launch is expected to take place in September.