Darb Couture (Brad Webb)

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