<p>MELBOURNE: Accessories icon Catherine Manuell Design (CMD) has introduced a vivid floral theme to her spring/summer 2008/09 collection.</p>

<p>BENDIGO: It seems it's not just private security firms making big bucks from the protection racket. Bendigo-based clothing company Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) has announced plans to double its workforce after it won&nbsp;a lucrative $80 million Australian Defence contract.</p>

BRISBANE: A diamond merchant has been fined $220,000 for misleading Australian consumers in the promotion of a series of diamond sales. Carrerabenz Diamonds Industries pleaded guilty to 27 charges of misleading consumers in the Brisbane Federal Court earlier this month, after ongoing investigations by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission revealed breaches of the Trade Practices Act.

Internationally renowned jewellery designer Zoe Sernack has revealed plans to enter the rag trade – with a little help from her friends.

AUCKLAND: Beleaguered organisers of Air New Zealand Fashion Week&nbsp; (ANZFW) have scored a corporate sponsorship coup. French champagne brand Moet &amp; Chandon has signed on as an official&nbsp;supplier&nbsp;to the fashion trade event, just weeks after luxury hotel chain Hilton pulled the plug on its long-standing&nbsp;partnership with ANZFW.

<p>MELBOURNE: Four well known Australian fashion houses have been slapped with punitive dollar settlements by renowned UK brand Ted Baker, in the wake of numerous copyright breaches. Jag - a division of the Colorado Group - has paid Ted Baker A$305,000 in settlement of a Federal Court of Australia copyright infringement claim relating to shirts imported by Jag; Target Australia has paid Ted Baker A$98,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 3,188 dresses; Witchery has paid Ted Baker A$35,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 3,565 tops; and Barry Bowden Investments - trading as Very Very - has paid Ted Baker A$15,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 522 dresses.</p>

NATIONAL: Kiwi maternitywear brand Egg&nbsp;is promoting a unique marketing initiative aimed at drawing increased focus to its Australian operations. Leveraging off interest in reality programs such as <em>Australia's Next Top Model</em>, the Auckland-based fashion house is on the hunt for Australia's next top 'mother to be'.

<p>ADELAIDE: Department store Harris Scarfe is set to break into the Queensland market with a sweeping retail roll out strategy.&nbsp;Three sites have already been confirmed for the state, with a new store set to open next month at Chermside.</p>

<p>MELBOURNE: Sydney freelancer Deborah Pak last night (July 15) became the latest designer eliminated from reality television show Project Runway Australia after her design was slated as &quot;bordering on unwearable&quot;. The 35-year-old - who specialises in women's ready to wear fashion - became the second designer booted off the reality show following the departure of Whitehouse Fashion Design student Alison Davis.</p>

<p>NATIONAL: Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has hit out at the Federal Parliament&rsquo;s announcement to implement another Inquiry into the Franchising Code of Conduct. ARA executive director and former CEO of the Franchise Council of Australia Richard Evans said he was &quot;bemused&quot; by Government's decision to hold an inquiry only months after passing new legislation after the extensive Matthews Inquiry.</p>

GEELONG: A new youth fashion precinct will take pride of place when Westfield launches the second stage of its $200 million Bay City redevelopment program on Thursday. The Level One precinct, which will house some of the 60 new shops and eateries to be opened as part of the redevelopment, will boast high-profile retailers such as Glue, Glassons, Everlast and Edge Clothing.

PERTH: Luxury jewellery brand Tiffany has organised a host of celebrations in honour of its latest store opening in Western Australia. The brand, whose new Perth-based outlet will officially open on July 24, will kick off the festivities by offering special guests and press a sneak preview of the building renovations and interior design scheme.

NATIONAL: A major Australasian retailer has signalled a downturn in sales as consumers hit by the rising cost of living tighten their belts. New Zealand-based clothing retailer Hallenstein Glasson has announced it expects its annual profit to be 28 per cent down on last year's result, with sales so far this year down six per cent.<br />

SYDNEY: Seventh Wonderland has chosen the world's largest swimwear trade event to launch its debut spring/summer 2008/09 collection. The Sydney-based label will join established brands such as Zimmermann, Anna &amp; Boy and Seafolly as part of the Australian contingent heading to Miami Swim.

NATIONAL: The parent company of footwear brand Ugg Australia has inked a $5 million deal to sell the brand throughout China. Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which acquired the brand in 1995, has teamed with Taiwan-based shoemaker Stella International to drive sales of the brand in the Chinese&nbsp;market,&nbsp;via newly forged wholesale and retail portals.

MELBOURNE: In a postcript to Just Group's most recent rebuttal of Premier Investments' takeover bid, Premier chairman Solomon Lew has issued a further statement upbraiding Just Group for refusing &quot;to provide the basic information requested by Premier to enable all shareholders to properly assess the state of Just's busienss, which is clearly worse than anyone expected.&quot;