MELBOURNE: Pacific Apparel Solutions (PAS) is again flexing its acquisition muscles.

An increasing number of Australian brands are opting to highlight the fact a garment has been created on-shore.

Are swing tags a forgotten source of branding? Samantha Docherty asks what opportunities labels are missing out on by not making them more of a feature?

Regional Australia can be a pretty baron landscape for fashionistas, with retail outlets few and far between. But for those in Ballarat things are finally looking up, writes Nina Lees.

Having been a sharp shooter in the game of fashion photography for nearly 30 years, Robert Rosen believes he's learnt a thing or two about taking "If the models are getting dressed you have to be really careful not to get boobs and [bottoms] - you have to aim to get them when they are fully dressed."

Helen Esdaile

The transformation of national shopping centre chain Westfield from run-of-the-mill suburban shopping mall to one-stop fashion destination is nearing completion.

Vanessa Rowed doesn't believe in the old saying "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Busy Park AUCKLAND: An extra 1000 car spaces have been made available for the opening of 50 further stores at the Sylvia Park shopping complex in New Zealand.

SYDNEY: Australian jewellery brand Venerari took both first and runner up position in Opal Design at the JAA 2006 Jewellery Design Awards.

SYDNEY: Up-and-coming designer Chloe Elizabeth believes in doing things the old-fashioned way.

MELBOURNE: Recent weeks have seen a rash of companies boldly stepping in to defend their brands against erosion by copycat traders or similarly branded entities.

NATIONAL: Country Road is to adopt retail-only model involving the termination of its wholesale relationships and a dramatically expanded retail presence.

MELBOURNE: Danish footwear and fashion label A Pair will gain a toehold in Victoria with the opening of its first store at Melbourne Central shopping centre.

MELBOURNE: Pacific Brands FY2006 results showed strong sales growth delivered by the company's acquisition strategy, with $1,509 million in branded net sales showing a 9.3 per cent growth on the previous year.

SYDNEY: Following months of speculation fuelled by approaches from un-named buyers, the Pretty Girl Fashion Group (PGFG) has been sold to its 50 per cent shareholder, Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH) controlled by James Packer.