Austrade chief economist Tim Harcourt ignores the hype to reveal the real essence of Australian Fashion Week.

Developments in CAD systems are eliminating manual pattern making methods in Australia's design rooms. Samantha Docherty reports.

To paraphrase Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of an extremely expensive handbag.

The Asia Pacific's largest leather and hide trade fair also doubles as a barometer for the state of fashion. Belinda Smart took a reading.

Assia Benmedjdoub speaks to a former and current fashion design student from Western Australia's Curtin University about the real world.

With men's shoe brand Aquila celebrating a half a century this year, operations manager Luke Longo seems confident that life begins at 50. Ragtrader caught up with him to find out why. Interview by Belinda Smart

Ragtrader regularly catches up with a previously profiled label to charts it development over the intervening years. Here Tracey Porter talks to Hush Puppies brand manager Mary Vescio.

NAME Skye Higgs

Deborah Somes believes there's been much change in Prospect since her boutique first opened eight years ago. On a personal level, the Dancing Road Boutique owner says she seen children grow into customers, daughters into mothers and young couples into newlyweds. On a business front, however, the picture is a far less rosier.

SYDNEY: Westfield Holdings' Annual General Meeting (AGM) confirmed the group's solid performance despite challenging economic conditions.

<p>MELBOURNE: If Trinny and Susannah are any indication, most women are clueless about the most important item in their wardrobe; the humble bra.</p>

NATIONAL: Small to medium fashion suppliers are struggling to keep afloat in the current economic climate as big businesses extend payment deadlines, a leading financial provider has alleged.

MELBOURNE: Emerging label Since Grey has opened a store in the arts and fashion hub of Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.<br />

SYDNEY: Australian handbag brand Crumpler has launched a custom-made service in its recently revamped Newtown store.

<p>SYDNEY: Raffles College of Design graduate Allison Berger is one of several former students whose work has been selected to appear in a special display at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.</p>

MELBOURNE: Shopping centre brand Westfield is to open another site in Melbourne's north.<br />