Spanish style to hit Victoria
MELBOURNE: Spanish label Paramita will descend on the Melbourne Exhibition Centre this September with a view to breaking into the Victorian market.
The womenswear brand, which made its national debut at Sydney trade fair Fashion Exposed in March, hopes to use the Melbourne instalment to pick up agents, distributors and stockists throughout the state.
Albert Drumm, director of A Touch of Europe (ATOE), the Sydney distributor which owns the Australasian rights to the label, described its autumn/winter 2009 collection as "perfect for the Melbourne market". Fashion Exposed would also see ATOE taking pre-orders for Paramita's spring/summer 2009 collection as well as selling summer/summer 2008 stock into the market.
Paramita's autumn/winter offering at the fair will comprise a selection of 16 garments. Styles for tops include basic round neck, tunic and roll neck versions and range from $70 to $100 in wholesale price. Meanwhile dresses, which will wholesale at around $150, will include shifts and tie or button detail roll necks styles. Coats will include classic and hooded options and will be priced from $230.
Headquartered in Spain's Granada district, Paramita was founded 15 years ago when the company employed around 20 fashion and graphic designers to produce "quirky" print-based collections. As a result, Paramita has garnered a reputation for creating off-beat, high-end women's fashion, with garments manufactured from quality cotton in innovative designs.
Most of the styles for summer employ loose knit stitch fabric for superior cooling in hot climates, making the garments "ideal" for the Australian market, Drumm said. However Paramita's real selling point was its emphasis on individuality and strong price pointed collections, with most dresses wholesaling at around $100.
"The label's tag line is 'uniquely creative, affordable fashion'. In other words this is not something you are going to find in a chain or department store." Drumm said the brand also had a good reputation for its cut.
"Paramita does a beautiful Spanish bell sleeve and the fit is always incredibly flattering to the female figure. It really draws the eye away from the middle of the body where the weight sits."
Aside from driving Victorian sales, it was hoped Paramita would pick up interstate and New Zealand stockists at the Melbourne instalment of Fashion Exposed, from September 14 to 16.
By Belinda Smart