Fashion retail awards continues to attract attention

The Ragtrader TNT Fashion Retailer of the Year Awards has finally come of age.

Boasting a host of new sponsors together with a new awards evening venue and a refreshed judging process, the fourth installment of the annual awards show is shaping up to be the best yet.

With just over eight weeks to go before nominations close, entries have begun pouring in for the awards that aim to celebrate the best of Australian fashion's retailing elite.

Ragtrader publisher Tracy Yaffa said she was extremely encouraged by the early support shown for the awards and was hopeful it would continue.

Yaffa noted the standard of entries improved each year, which she said was indicative of the growing confidence of Australia's fashion retailers.

"It's been very rewarding to see the way the awards have evolved since we first staged them four years ago. Just as the quality of our entrants has grown we too have enjoyed watching the profile of the awards blossom."   

         
As with other years, some of the industry's brightest lights have agreed to come on board to help award organisers with narrowing a field of the usual 100-plus entries down to a shortlist of finalists which will ultimately be reduced to just six category winners.

The full list of categories includes under-20 and over-20 chains, as well as best childrenswear retailer, best menswear retailer and best womenswear retailer in the boutique category. The best department store title is also up for grabs with the winner determined by our jury.

Previous winners have included Portmans, General Pants, Peter Alexander and Jay Jays in the chain category while the list of past boutique winners includes Sydney Street, From St Xavier, Mariana Hardwick and Harrolds.
Judging for the awards will take place during October with winners announced during a glittering cocktail function at Sydney's Doltone House on Wednesday, November 28.