NATIONAL: An ecclectic mix of Australia's best emerging design talent has gathered in New York as part of the G'Day USA promotional program.
In all 10 designers from around the country have been selected to appear at the three-day fashion trade event which will see them showcase their latest collections before a select group of US buyers, stylists, publicists and media.
Participants of the showing, which kicks off today, include Cable Melbourne , Verduci Smith and Zayt (VIC), Gina Kim and George Wu (QLD), Mai Loui (SA), Silence is Golden and Vivian Chan Shaw (NSW), Megan Salmon (WA) and, Silence is Golden and Vivian Chan Shaw of New South Wales.
In celebration of 200 years of Australian wool, each label was required to use a minimum of 50 per cent Australian wool within their seasonal collections.
Austrade New York senior trade commissioner Gerard Seeber said events such as the designer fashion showroom event helped raise the profile of Australian fashion which was rapidly gaining an international reputation for producing rising stars.
Seeber said in the past designers participating in the Austrade-sponsored event had helped record export sales valued at $6 million to high fashion department stores such as Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel and Bloomingdales, together with smaller bouiques such as Searle and Bigdrop.