PERTH: West Australian designer Ruth Tarvydas has looked to the city of Sydney to provide inspiration for her take on Australia's national costume.

NEWCASTLE: Self-taught womenswear designer Sheena Roberts was crowned Designer of the Year at Newcastle's inaugural Frock On fashion competition earlier this week.

NATIONAL: Burgeoning high street retail chain Bardot has announced plans to open its first childrenswear boutique.

NATIONAL: The owner of collapsed Kiwi apparel company Line 7 hopes an Australian investor could save the troubled company.

SYDNEY: David Jones has continued to defy market conditions, increasing its profit guidance for both the second half and full 2009 financial year.

NEW ZEALAND: Childen's apparel retailer Pumpkin Patch is to close nearly 60 per cent of its US stores.

NATIONAL: Australian fashion designer Peter Morrissey is recovering from emergency surgery for an aneurysm in his brain.

MELBOURNE: Embattled wholesaler Mercury Brands has just over one month to organise finance for a prospective acquisition.

NATIONAL: Streetwear chain Mooks has launched an online store in a bid to grow domestic and international sales.

SYDNEY: The idea of knitting as both a fashion and an art is explored in a new exhibition being staged during Sydney Design Week later this year.

MELBOURNE: Victims of the recent racial attacks on Indian students will be among those walking the catwalk in a fashion show planned in Melbourne later this month.

NATIONAL: Queensland resortswear label White Sands is now another step closer to realising its American dream.

MELBOURNE: Established accessories designer Catherine Manuell has lent her support to a new project undertaken by RMIT visual merchandising students.

MELBOURNE: Listed wholesale group Mercury brands has raised more than $1 million through the release of millions of new share options, its board of directors has announced.

NATIONAL: Rivers Australia has pulled a controversial ad campaign describing its reversible vests as 'Bi-Polar'.

SYDNEY: G-Star Raw has continued to expand aggressively across key capital cities in Australia, opening a new site in Westfield Chatswood.