World of Argentine style hits Oz

MELBOURNE: A new label imbued with the Argentine looks set to generate some Latin heat in the world of high end womenswear.
In fact Mundo - which means "world" in Spanish - hails from New Zealand, where it was established three years ago by designer Tania Donnianni whose husband Pablo Donnianni is of Argentinean origin.
A full wardrobe offer comprising skirts, dresses, pants, tops and a range of Argentinean leather handbags, belts and jackets, Mundo was differentiated by its traditional Argentinean flavour and designer styling, confirmed Roz Campbell, whose agency of the same name is distributing the label in Australia.
"It has that Latin American allure going for it, so we're definitely going with the whole Salsa and Tango dancing craze to promote it. The Latin thing is everywhere at the moment, particularly in Melbourne."
With price points averaging $175 for pants and $215 for skirts and pitched at the mid-to high end market, Mundo would commence selling on September 1 for winter 2007, she added.
Roz Campbell Agencies has also renamed New Zealand-made fine Merino wool label Olive, which it has distributed to around 50 Australian accounts for the past four seasons (the label is not available to Kiwi consumers).
Olive had been renamed Isla following the discovery that another label, Olive Clothing, already had a presence in Australia.
"I want to reassure people that Isla is exactly the same quality product as Olive; the only difference is that its name has changed," Campbell said.
Priced at $99 to $159 and with around 50 clients in Australia, Isla comprised knitwear "basics with a twist" that were both machine-washable and pull-free.
While Merino knitwear was its core offer, the label also offered cotton knitwear for summer and was considering expanding over coming seasons to comprise a full wardrobe offer.
The Mundo and Isla labels would overlap, although the addition of Mundo to her stable would also open up new business in the higher end boutique market, Campbell said.