Awards attract fashion retailing best of the best

Apparel and accessories retail Dotti is ready to let the country know it is punching above its weight. The youth fashion retailer is set to join others including national womenswear chain Morrison and boutique store Grace Melbourne in a bid to take out the top gongs at the 2008 Ragtrader TNT Fashion Retailer of the Year Awards. With just over two weeks to go before the nomination period closes, entries for this year's awards have been streaming in with a number of first time entrants joining the fray.

Seeking to recognise and reward the best of the best among Australia's fashion retailing elite, the awards process allows for third party nominations from leading suppliers or from individual retailers themselves. In all there are six awards up for grabs including best menswear, womenswear and childrenswear retailer as well as best under-20 and over-20 chain and best department store.

Supported by a host of sponsors including naming rights sponsor TNT Fashion Express, gold partner AMP Capital Shopping Centres and silver sponsors Trak Recruiting, Dad & Co and Kaideepeel, the fifth instalment of the awards show is shaping up to be the best yet.

Some of the industry's brightest lights have again agreed to stand in judgement of the lead contenders in the awards. These include The Sunday Herald fashion editor Glynis Trail-Nash, Australian Wool Innovation fashion communications manager Karyn Westren-Gross, Australian Flavour founder Krista Eppelstun, IBISWorld TCF analyst Raghu Rajakumar and Australian Fashion Partners co-founder Serena Beirne.

In order to help separate one chain or independent boutique over another, judges will follow a strict criteria taking into account such things as first impressions, store layout, customer service, breadth and depth of employee training, marketing, advertising and promotions, and business and operations.

Judging for the awards will take place from September 8 to October 6 with winners announced during a cocktail function at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art on November 26.