<p>MELBOURNE: Marks and Spencer&nbsp;boss Stuart Rose, global fashion journalist-turned-author Diane Pernet and US-based fashion blogger 'The Sartorialist'&nbsp;may soon be winging their way to Australia. </p> <p>The powerful trio head up a wish list of guest speakers being targeted by the organisers of L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) to headline the business seminar program at their 2009 event.</p>

-

Melbourne's best? MELBOURNE: Fashion retail will be crucial to Melbourne's future profile as a leading global city, according to a new report.

MELBOURNE: Leather specialist Bisonte has revealed an ambitious local and overseas expansion strategy.

Body named MELBOURNE: Peter Parkinson was returned unopposed as the president of the National Footwear Retailers Association at the group's annual general meeting in Victoria recently.

It isn't difficult to deduce that Australian textile, clothing and footwear exporters have been feeling the pinch as a result of the fluctuating Aussie dollar.

Melbourne-headquartered retail collective Fat4 are not keen followers of the "once bitten twice shy" school of thought.

Lindsay Bennett, the maestro behind Brisbane's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival, has kicked off celebrations for the 2008 event by announcing a series of changes to this year's line up.

NATIONAL: Ongoing free trade negotiations between Australia and South East Asia could fail to offer domestic textile clothing and footwear businesses any substantial export benefits, industry experts have warned.

Bad news UNITED STATES: Major US apparel retailers continue to feel the pinch of a slowdown in trading with department stores JC Penney, Kohl's and Nordstrom all showing profits loses when reporting their first quarter financial results.

BRISBANE: The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival (MBFF) will kick off in Queensland's capital later this year with a suite of new events and features.<br />

NATIONAL: The fate of collapsed jewellery retailer Kleins is far from sealed with reports a number of parties have registered interest in purchasing the group.

SYDNEY: Streetwear brand Mooks has celebrated its&nbsp;seventeenth year in business by redesigning its flagship Sydney store.

MELBOURNE: Arthur Galan (AG) has expanded his womenswear retail presence with the opening of a new store in Melbourne Central shopping centre.<br />

NATIONAL: Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has reiterated its mission to phase out the practice of mulesing before 2010, following yet another boycott by a major international fashion retailer.

MELBOURNE: New management and enhanced linkages with its 'big sister' are high on the future agenda of the Australian Fashion Council (AFC).