Oz star takes on China

SYDNEY: Womenswear label Typical Star, the creation of emerging designer Laura Nagy, is headed for one of China's fastest growing cities.

Stocked in 200 boutiques Australia wide as well as stores in South Africa, Typical Star will be launched in Shanghai on October 16 as the only Aussie fashion brand to feature in a new Australian lifestyle concept store called 1-Oz-3, developed by Sydney lifestyle product specialist United World Enterprises (UWE).

Launched in 2006, Typical Star's first collection resulted from a design competition won by Nagy, then a student at East Sydney TAFE. She was spotted by UWE managing director Jimmy Liu, and the company began manufacturing and distributing her designs.

With prices ranging from $60 to $200, Nagy's winter collection is titled "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde" and is described by its creator as "an expression of the fight between good and evil that goes on inside every stylish lady".

"Does she dress sweet or is she a seductress? Regal or rock star? Belle or biker? I believe my designs will satisfy all these choices, with elements of naughty and nice meeting in one garment to create powerful, feminine and sexy silhouettes," Nagy said.

The designer's business is likely to experience a significant growth spurt in the near future, with 1-Oz-3's inaugural Shanghai flagship - which also specialises in Australian coffee and wine - the first of 13 stores planned over the next 18 months.