The fashion stakes are high and the competition fierce as some of Australia’s most talented designers vie for the nation’s top fashion honours in the National Final of the 28th NRA Australian Fashion Design Awards presented by AMP Capital Shopping Centres on Wednesday 8 April.

As Australia’s premier fashion competition, the Awards showcase the best of today’s designers and discover the talent of tomorrow, providing designers with an extraordinary platform to showcase their talents to the shopping public nationally.

27 designer finalist entries were selected from a field of almost 300 entries which all competed in the preliminary judging heats held on the Gold Coast and nationally from 31 March to 3 April 2009.

The most nominated finalists in this year’s Awards include two recent Supreme Award winners:
Lisa Brown (Lisa Brown)
Brad Webb (Darb Bridal Couture)

The finalists are:

Student Designs presented by Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
Jessica Chatterton, Metropolitan South Institute of Tafe, Indooroopilly, Queensland
Ben Garrett, Metropolitan South Institute of Tafe, Dutton Park, Queensland
Nomiki Glynatsis, Metropolitan South Institute of Tafe, Brookfield, Queensland
Prudence Grayson, Metropolitan South Institute of Tafe, Boondall, Queensland
Nicola Hall, Metropolitan South Institute of Tafe, Glebe, New South Wales
Ebony Harding, Swan Tafe, Winthrop, West Australia
Eva Huynh, RMIT Brunswick, North Balwyn, Victoria
Rebecca Timson, Curtin University of Technology, Kardinya, West Australia
Laura Zhu, University of Technology Sydney, Roseville, New South Wales

Ready to Wear presented by Conrad Jupiters
Lisa Brown, Lisa Brown, Clear Island Waters, Queensland – 2 finalist entries [LIFESTYLE]
Birikini, Kylie Pizzirani & Chelsea Hillbrick, Mooloolaba, Queensland [KIDS]
eeni meeni miini moh, Elizabeth O’Connor-Cowley, Milton, Queensland [KIDS]
Little Workers, Ivanka Belic, Paddington, Queensland [KIDS]
Tayla-Lu, Nerina Gugliemino, Carindale, Queensland [KIDS]

Daniel Alexander Couture, Daniel Alexander, Fortitude Valley, Queensland [SWIM]
White Sands, Leah Madden, Broadbeach, Queensland [SWIM]
Lisa Blue, Maree Elizabeth Coates, Tweed Heads, New South Wales [SWIM]

SIGNATURE DESIGNS presented by Sony Centre
Brides Desire by Airs & Graces, Wendy Sullivan, West End, Queensland [BRIDAL]
Darb Bridal Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, Queensland – 2 finalist entries [BRIDAL]
Lisa Brown, Lisa Brown, Clear Island Waters, Queensland [BRIDAL]
Strictly Bridal, Ann Wilson, Mudgeeraba, Queensland [BRIDAL]

Darb Bridal Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, Queensland [COUTURE]
Dimitria Bridal Couture, Dimitria Kal & Christina Kal, Albert Park, Queensland [COUTURE]

Darb Bridal Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, Queensland [FASHIONS ON THE FIELD]
Taree Birse, Taree Birse, Southport, Queensland [FASHIONS ON THE FIELD]

VIEWERS CHOICE presented by AMP Capital Shopping Centres

Forever New, Knox Shopping Centre, Victoria
Peter Alexander, Warringah Mall, New South Wales
Sussan, Macquarie Centre, New South Wales
Veronika Maine, Garden City Booragoon, West Australia
Venus and Apollon, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Queensland
Witchery, Karrinyup Shopping Centre, West Australia

Finalists from the Ready to Wear and Signature Designs categories will be competing for the Rising Star Award and the ultimate accolade – the AMP Capital Shopping Centres Supreme Award.

Australia’s best student designer will also be announced on the night, as well as the winner of the NEXT New York National Model Search.

The Supreme Award winner will receive a Sony Centre Entertainment Package valued at $5,000 and the Supreme Award trophy.

FOR PHOTOS AND LATEST RESULTS REGISTER AT http://www.fashionscene.com.au

Last night I was at the Nivea Annual Hand Modeling Awards and after a year off, I was back in action in the 2007/08 Summer. I didn’t think I had done enough catalogues to get up for the win, but I was able to snare some crucial votes during the February vote count.

Although I didn’t think my work last season was as good as my fall 2004 season with my award winning “VB hard-earned-thirst” beer catalogue. I think my attitude has matured and you can really see that in my modeling.

I had a year off over the 2006/07 summer as a mouth model, and whilst it was great to be the mouth of Evian water, I really missed my hand modeling and couldn’t wait until that contract was over.

Guess was quick to get me on their roster for their autumn watch magazine ads and so I was really lucky to get a “feel” for it all again.

Thanks to all my support. The girls at professionNail, Steve at Minit Solutions for those late night grind sessions, Kelly and Ross at “Your hands is your face” and finally and most importantly, Nivea for the award and the years supply of Nivea Hand Lotion which comes in “handy” just before I go to bed each night. Thank you so much everyone!

Brisbane Hand Model, Sydney, London, New York

Brisbane Hand Model, Sydney, London, New York

This evening I spoke to NRA Fashion Design Awards Supreme Award winner Lisa Brown. I was lucky enough to get some of her time for a phone interview, so listen in as Lisa reveals her experience in the Fashion industry. I also got the truth behind Kate Hudson buying some of Lisa’s clothing.

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Whilst you’re listening, check out Lisa’s Fashion Design website at http://www.lisa-brown.com.au/

This interview was recorded with my Nokia N95 mobile phone, the quality is a bit lower than my other podcasts because of this reason. You’ll also notice some blips of silence, in particular during a key moment at the end of the interview. I was suppose to say donkey, haha- you’ll just have to listen to it to hear where I was meant to say that.

Dimitria Bridal Couture – Bose Couture Award Winner

Karen Neilsen – Conrad Jupiters Gold Coast Swim-Surf Award Winner

Congratulations to Gold Coast designer Lisa Brown!

Brides Desire by Airs & Graces – QEvents Bridal Award Winner

Emily Black – Moreton Institute of TAFE (MSIT) -
Student Designs presented by Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre Award Winner

Dimitria Bridal Couture – Bose Couture Award Winner

Zoo Ski – NRA Fashion Design Rising Star Award

Darb Couture -Cabcharge Australia Fashions on the Field Award Winner

Karen Neilsen – Conrad Jupiters Gold Coast Swim-Surf Award Winner

Little Workers – Pacific Fair Shopping Centre Kids Award Winner
Bose Viewer’s Choice Awards

Bridal – Ja Delle Designs

Kids – Little Workers

Special Awards presented this year included:

Soul by Juniper Award for Fashion Excellence -
Collette Dinnigan

Australian Fashion Design Awards Rising Star presented by Business GC -
Zoo-Ski

Chic Management New York Model Search
Hayley Fitzpatrick

The fashion stakes are high and the competition fierce as Australia’s material girls and boys vie for the nation’s top fashion honours in the National Final and Telecast of the 27th NRA Fashion Design Awards presented by AMP Capital Shopping Centres on Wednesday 19 March.

As Australia’s premier fashion competition, the Awards are a showcase of the best of today’s designers and discover the talent of tomorrow and provide designers with an extraordinary platform to expose their talents to the shopping public.

Thirty-nine finalist entries were selected from a field of more than 250 entries which all competed in the preliminary judging heats held on the Gold Coast from 11 March to 13 March 2008.

The most nominated finalists in this year’s Awards include:

• Daniel Alexander (Daniel Alexander Couture)
• Lisa Brown (Lisa Brown)
• Brad Webb (Darb Couture)

The finalists are:

Lifestyle Collections presented by Evolve Make-Up

• Daniel Alexander Couture, Daniel Alexander Crooke, Clayfield, QLD
• Lisa Brown, Lisa Brown, Merrimac, QLD
• Miss J Wolfe, Jayne Wolfe, Mermaid Beach, QLD
• Always Habit, Vanessa Hoe, Paddington, QLD

QEvents Bridal

• Darb Bridal Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, QLD
• Strictly Bridal, Ann Wilson, Mudgeeraba, QLD
• Dimitria Bridal Couture, Dimitria & Christine Kal, Albert Park, VIC
• Ja Delle Designs, Hester Jarvis, Townsville, QLD
• Leonard Derecourt Designer, Leonard Derecourt, Broadbeach, QLD
• Wendy Makin Couture, Wendy Makin, Stones Corner, QLD
• Brides Desire by Airs & Graces, Wendy Sullivan, West End, QLD

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre Kids

• Tayla-lu Swimwear, Nerina Gugliemino, Carindale, QLD
• Daniel Alexander Jr Couture, Daniel Alexander Crooke &Mark Troon, Clayfield, QLD
• Riot Swimwear, Gillian Marriage, Burleigh Heads, QLD
• Little Workers, Ivanka Belic, Paddington , QLD
• eeni meeni miini moh, Elizabeth O’Connor-Cowley, Milton, QLD
• Zephire Generation, Fabio Cattafi, Hillside, VIC
• Lisa Brown, Lisa Brown, Merrimac, QLD

Student Designs presented by the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

• Kathryn Edmonds, Academy of Design, Miami, QLD
• Begitta Stolk, Australian Institute of Fashion Design, Bilambil, NSW
• Emily Black, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, Kelvin Grove, QLD
• Megan Todd, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, Helensvale, QLD
• Sonia Douglas, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, Dunwich, QLD

Cabcharge Australia Fashions on the Field

• Darb Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, QLD
• Ja Delle Designs, Hester Jarvis, Townsville, QLD
• Grbac, Juli Grbac, Moorooka, QLD
• Hills in Hollywood, Gayle Clark, Marlene Milers & Helena Macphee, Bald Hills, QLD
• Zoo-Ski, Kimberly Sakzewski, Kangaroo Point, QLD

Conrad Jupiters Gold Coast Swim-Surf

• Riot Swimwear, Gillian Marriage, Burleigh Heads, QLD
• Pirette, Maree Coastes, Kirra, QLD
• Karen Neilsen Collection, Burleigh Heads, QLD
• Ki.Argo, Jessica Holmes, Collingwood, VIC
• Daniel Alexander Couture, Daniel Alexander Crooke, Clayfield, QLD

Bose Couture

• Dimitria Bridal Couture, Dimitria & Christina Kal, Albert Park, VIC
• Judy Bond, Judy Bond, Burronga, NSW
• Leonard Derecourt Designer, Leonard Derecourt, Boradbeach, QLD
• Lisa Brown, Lisa Brown, Merrimac, QLD
• Cyan Reign, Cyan Reign, New Farm, QLD
• Darb Couture, Brad Webb, Brisbane, QLD

All finalists will be competing to win their respective categories.In addition, all category winners (with the exceptions of Student Designs, Viewers’ Choice Award and Rising Star category winners) will also compete for the ultimate accolade – the AMP Capital Shopping Centres Supreme Award.

The Supreme Award winner will received more than $40,000 in prizes including a Mitsubishi Lancer, $5,000 American Express card, and the Supreme Award trophy.

Telecast Highlights:

• The National Final will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 19 March and will be telecast live throughout Queensland at 8.30pm and is replayed nationally.
• Telecast hosts include spokesmodel and AMP Capital Shopping Centres Ambassador Sophie Falkiner, Channel 9 celebrity Cameron Williams, with Red Carpet Host Shelley Craft.
• Soul by Juniper Award for Fashion Excellence– the Award honours an exceptional individual for their contribution to the Australian fashion industry to be announced on the night of the Awards.
• New Generations Showcase presented by Mitsubishi Australia – Five of Australia’s rising fashion stars have been selected to present their collections in this exciting new showcase. The designers to be showcased include:
  • George Wu by George Wu (Qld);
    Marsha Vetolskiy by Marsha Vetolskiy (NSW);
    ARTSU by Nik Philpott (NSW);
    Dhini by Dhini Pararajasingham (Vic); and
    Story by Tang by Christine Tang (WA).

• National Retail Showcase presented by AMP Capital Shopping Centres Australia’s leading fashion retailers, including, Bras n Things, Connor. David Jones, FCUK, Myers, and Seed will present the hottest fashion looks for 2008.

• Australian Designer Showcase presented by Myer – a select group of iconic Australian fashion designers will each present a collection

• Bose Viewers’ Choice Awards – Television viewers will have the chance to vote for their favourite design in two categories: Bose Viewers’ Choice Awards – Bridal and Bose Viewers’ Choice Awards – Kids.

The judges of this year’s Awards are:

• Michael Pherous, Chair
• Melissa Hoyer, Style commentator and fashion journalist
• Wayne Cooper, Designer
• Trelise Cooper, Designer
• Jonathan Ward, RM Williams Executive Designer
• Elizabeth Tilley, The Courier Mail Fashion Editor (Student Designs guest judge)

The Awards are the pinnacle event of a ten-day fashion festival presented by Pacific Fair – a fashion and lifestyle event that commenced on 10 March 2008 – and are the longest-running, continuously televised fashion event on Australian television.

For more information on the NRA Australian Fashion Design Awards and Festival visit www.nra.net.au/fashion

Monday was the launch of the 2008 NRA Fashion Design Awards & Festival on the Gold Coast , Queensland. The festival is a high profile fashion and lifestyle event, giving Australian fashion designers, manufacturers, students and fashion retailers the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the shopping public and a national television audience.

The NRA is again proud to have AMP Capital Shopping Centres as the major partner in this event.

Here were some a summary of Monday’s events:

Ten of Australia’s leading designers prove that fashion and art are not mutually exclusive with their artistic flair on display and ready to be shown off on the new and limited-edition Chari-Tee for the children’s charity, Variety.

Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson from Easton Pearson, Wayne Cooper, Peter Morrissey, Harry Watt and George Gross from Harry Who, Trelise Cooper, Jonathan Ward, Charlie Brown and Marilyn Said of Covers all participated in the inaugural Chari-Tee for Variety.

Each Chari-Tee features a custom design and the respective designer’s signature.

The Chari-Tees and the designer’s artwork printed onto canvas will be exhibited at Pacific Fair during the NRA Australian Fashion Design Festival presented by Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

Retailing for $59.95, the Chari-Tees are available for sale at the Pacific Fair Festival HotSpot (located on the Lower Level Arcade, outside Portmans) and online at www.nra.net.au/fashion.

Sign up now to be the first to know about upcoming fashion events and “Keep in the loop” at the top right hand site of my website.

UPDATE: Brad Webb of Darb Couture took out the Supreme Award for the night as Best Fashion Designer in Australia, the second year runnning. Eeni Meeni Miini Moh won the Kids and Innovation awards. Mark Valenton of Metropolitan Institute of TAFE won the student award and if you remember from my shoot at modaitalia, he was the winner from that event this year.

Today I attended the full dress rehearsal at the NRA Australian Fashion Awards Finals on the Gold Coast. This is the 26th year that the awards have been held and is now known for being the longest-running, continously televised fashion event on Australian television. I had the opportunity to shoot at the dress rehearsal and you can view the Fashion Photography photos I took here.

Moved to the new month of December, the final parade will be broadcast on Channel 9 with hosts Richard Wilkins and Deborah Hutton.

The awards are part of the 2006 NRA Fashion Festival which is held on the Gold Coast, various events have been held such as local performances and opportunities to meet stars like Katie Fischer who is also the face of AMP Capital Shopping Centres. The fashion awards showcases the best student and label designers in Australia. The Queensland Government is the other major sponsor for this event and has been a major part in Fashion development in Australia.

There were some extra highlights to the final parade including dance performances and visual displays such as the one below where the female dancer would appear in a new outfut in a matter of seconds underneath the flicker of a sheet of cloth. Almost a magical act, this would have been a treat for guest during the main event.