MELBOURNE: Australian department store Myer has been granted authorisation to launch cross promotions with its concession stores.  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will allow the department store to invite its concession businesses to participate in various promotions until September 2013.

MELBOURNE: Hosiery company Levante has launched an intimates and sleepwear collection for spring/summer. A spokesperson for the brand said both ranges combined Italian design, luxurious fabrics and a high level of fit and quality. The Levante Intimates collection will be available in bra sizes 10A to 16C in 'Porcelain', 'Uno', 'Athena' and 'Fiore' stories, with the sleepwear collection designed to coordinate with the intimates.

<p>CANBERRA: Two of the textile, clothing and footwear sector's most influential bodies have teamed together in an attempt to influence government decision makers. The Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) and the Technical Textiles &amp; Nonwoven Association (TTNA)&nbsp;will head to Canberra later this month to showcase the TCF industry to government and the media.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

MELBOURNE: Apparel company Beyond Sportswear International (BSI) has announced strong results for the 2008 financial year. BSI - which operates a portfolio of brands and licences including the Kea, Kombat, Hummel, Cricket Australia and State of Origin identities - confirmed FY08 operating earnings before income tax (EBIT) had almost tripled to $2.8 million over the period.

NEW ZEALAND: An apparel company owned by New Zealand All Black Dan Carter has earmarked Auckland's Newmarket as the site for its latest boutique. Gas Clothing, owned by Carter and business partners Lucy Scandrett and Rhys Brooking, will join the ranks of Trelise Cooper, Alannah Hill and Kate Sylvester in operating from the recently redeveloped area.

<p>MELBOURNE: The owner of children's clothing and accessories label Oobi Baby has learnt the hard way that ignorance of the law is no defense, after being fined $40,000 by the Federal Court. Government watchdog the Australian Competiton and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Alexandra Riggs to court in July alleging she had engaged in resale price maintenance by contacting internet-based retailers and informing them products would not be supplied unless they agreed not to sell them at a discount.</p>

<p>NATIONAL: The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA)'s&nbsp;Victorian state secretary Michele O&rsquo;Neil has been appointed to the position of national secretary, following the resignation of Tony Woolgar. O&rsquo;Neil is to hold both the TCFUA national secretary and Victorian state secretary positions, while Woolgar will continue to work for the union until the end of this year. </p>

<p>MELBOURNE: The stand off between clothing retailer Just Group and takeover predator Premier Investments, which played out over a large portion of 2008, has formally come to an end. A statement from the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) confirmed Just Group will cease trading at the market's close today (Tuesday September 2) after Solomon Lew's&nbsp;company succeeded in its hostile takeover bid. </p> &nbsp;

<p>NATIONAL: No date has yet been set for the public release of the national textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) review, being&nbsp;undertaken by the Rudd Government. The review committee, headed by Macquarie School of Management dean Professor Roy Green, &nbsp;had been due to report its findings back to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr by August 31.</p>

<p>PERTH: International supermodel Gemma Ward&nbsp;will go head-to-head with leading industry&nbsp;figures for a spot on&nbsp;Western Australia's Fashion Walk of Fame.&nbsp;&nbsp;Organisers of the Perth Fashion Festival (PFF) have announced high end designer Ray Costarella, Wheels and Doll Baby founder Melanie Greensmith, boutique Orphans and supermodel Ward as the 2008 finalists for the prestigious award.</p>

<p>MELBOURNE: Two Queenslanders and a Victorian boutique owner will contest the finals of reality television show <em>Project Runway Australia</em>. In an episode aired on pay TV channel Arena last night (September 1), Juli Grbac, Petrova Hammond and Leigh Buchanan were named in the final three after a gown produced by fellow contestant Lui Hon failed to win the support of the show's judges.</p>

<p>NATIONAL: One in three textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) manufacturing businesses will not see out their first year, new data has shown. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and compiled by industry body The Council of Textile and Fashion Industries (TFIA) have shown that of the TCF manufacturing businesses that entered the market<br />in 2003, only 68 per cent of companies survived their first 12 months in business. </p>

<p>NATIONAL: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is doing its bit for the skills shortage plaguing the industry by offering free retail training opportunities. Using funding available under the Federal Government's Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), the program offers free training to industry newcomers as well as on-the-job training.</p>

<p>PERTH: Costarella Design, the company behind luxury fashion label Aurelio Costarella, has claimed its results for the financial year ended June 30 suggest a growth spurt. During the year it increased its share capital and reserves by around $626,000, which included successfully completing placement and options issues. A results statement from the company confirmed the funds raised provided the working capital required for continued focus on brand building in the Australian and global markets.</p>

NATIONAL: The Opes Prime collapse has claimed yet another victim with wholesaler Mercury Brands officially reporting a net loss of $7.8 million for the 2008 financial year.&nbsp; Mercury Brands, formerly trading as Austin Group, was severely impacted by the collapse of the Opes Prime Group in 2007, with related party Hawkswood Investments having been a significant shareholder of the company.

SYDNEY: Home shopping apparel company Undercoverwear (UCW) has posted full year profits after tax of $3,649,942 for the year ended June 30 2008, representing an 11 per cent decline on the previous year's results. Citing &quot;extremely challenged&quot; trading conditions and &quot;significant deterioration in consumer confidence&quot;, the company also attributed its troubles to &quot;a steady decline in the consultant base over recent years, as families have benefited from [...] near to full employment rates around the nation.&quot;