RAGTRADER TALKS TO FOUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ABOUT TRAINING

Much to its delight, the Australian fashion industry is being skirmished by a new breed of designers from the East. Rosemary Masic, Jacqui Demkiw and Toni Maticevski are among those taking the national and international scene by storm and, as Assia Benmedjdoub discovered, their inspiration is close to home.

Were I a regular church go-er, I reckon the poor sod charged with manning the confessional box would have had more than his fill of me.

Each season trade fair Fashion Exposed offers 20 up-and-coming designers a chance to show off their unique talent at its Melbourne event. Tracey McEldowney profiles four attempting to stand out from the crowd.

With fashion production increasingly shifting offshore, demand for courses to get professionals up to speed with global production requirements is on the rise.

With fashionable labels it's usually the designer that gets all the praise, but who are the people behind the scenes that contribute to a brand's success? Samantha Docherty finds out.

In my last column I mentioned an incident at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in which a swimwear label caused outrage by using real women in its show?

Good negotiations with your suppliers can improve your supply chain management and business cash flow. But negotiation doesn?t necessarily mean haggling on price, writes Matthew Nolan.

Despite criticism of its showing in Melbourne last month there's something about Australian Fashion Week that just keeps bouncing back, as Belinda Smart reports

How can retailers utilise open-to-buy budgets and what are some useful tips when negotiating lease renewals. The Doctor responds.

Prominent Brisbane designer Natalie Denning is a store owner who cleverly uses her six boutiques to help prove her retailing skill and advocacy for Australian fashion. Claire Tomley reports.

Fashion Exposed opened its doors to thousands of visitors last month. Assia Benmedjdoub gives her verdict on the hottest trends on show.

Alexandra Riggs

MELBOURNE: Fashion knitwear stalwart Besserman Corporation has expanded its Rosie+Dixie label to include a yoga and lifestyle story.

MELBOURNE: Fashion Exposed's boutique preview section has seen the launch of casual streetwear with a punk glam twist in Angelic form.

NATIONAL: Forget trans-seasonal - UK-based Australasian retailer Antipodium is going trans-hemisphereal.