SYDNEY: Oroton Group has announced its intent to upgrade more stores in the year ahead and boost its online social networking operations.

NATIONAL: Fashion retail giants Cue, Country Road, General Pants and Sportsgirl will battle it out tonight at TNT Ragtrader's Fashion Retailer Of The Year Awards.

BRISBANE: Luxury retailer Jean Brown has embraced new media as part of its latest visual merchandising strategy.

SYDNEY: UK streetwear brand Henleys will launch a double barrelled assault on the Australian retail market.

NATIONAL: Luxury menswear store Harrolds has scored an exclusive coup to stock international label Tom Ford.

NATIONAL: Fashion competition website Launch Initiative will host an online business seminar series aimed at helping fledgling designers.

NATIONAL: Kathmandu has announced a plan to become a listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange and New Zealand Stock Exchange.

SYDNEY: Emerging designers are being invited to participate in the next Young Blood: Designers Market, held by the Powerhouse Museum.

NATIONAL: Three new generation labels are set to battle it out for a creative grant as part of the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards (SOYA).

SYDNEY: Eco shoe label Terra Plana has established roots in Australia with its first retail store.

NATIONAL: Rockport has earmarked Australia as part of its worldwide relaunch of a heritage shoe collection.

PERTH: Department store Myer will not expand into Western Australia as part of its four year retail rollout strategy.

MELBOURNE: Fashion design students from RMIT University have been awarded for their commercial vision by big name retailers.

NATIONAL: Hugo Boss will build on its tradition of sporting sponsorship as official outfitters for the Socceroos for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

NATIONAL: Womenswear retailer Specialty Fashion Group has cut its production ties with Burma.

NATIONAL: An affiliation with Australian designer Julie Grbac is the latest initiative from Indian textile producers keen to extract more business from the Australian market.