Event Information
A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY YEAR CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF INNOVATION
SPRING SUMMER COLLECTIONS 2010/11
3-7 MAY 2010
OVERSEAS PASSENGER TERMINAL, CIRCULAR QUAY, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Rosemount Australian Fashion Week Spring Summer 2010/11 will take place from 3 – 7 May 2010 against the spectacular backdrop of Circular Quay.
A selection of Australia and the Asia Pacific’s best designers will present their collections to some of the world’s most significant members of the fashion industry. RAFW is an exclusive industry-only event, made accessible to registered buyers, agents, media, stylists and other fashion industry representatives.
The five day official schedule features designers in on-site and off-site Collection Shows, Emerge, The MCA and the Westin Sydney Suites. This season’s Spring Summer Collections will be held over five days and showcase more than 100 designers in 45 Collection Shows, over 50 accessory designers in Emerge and over 40 designer collections available for viewing at The MCA Showrooms and The Westin Sydney Suites.
The Venue
The Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) – at Sydney’s Circular Quay, the gateway to one of the most beautiful harbours in the world, will host this years event. The OPT has unspoilt panoramic views of the world renowned Sydney Opera House and the city skyline. Set in the heart of Sydney’s historic Sydney Cove at the foot of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, the precinct boasts history, arts and entertainment, fine dining and shopping and is easily accessible.
The OPT will host a number of RAFW elements including on-site registration, media centre, collection showrooms. The OPT enables participating designers and exhibitors the greatest flexibility while providing a centralised venue that is convenient for visiting buyers media and industry to do business.
The Westin Sydney is our official five-star hotel located minutes from the OPT and will host The Westin Sydney Suites. The Westin Sydney also offers discount VIP accommodation to registered delegates.
GETTING THERE
BY TRAIN OR FERRY
Just head to Sydney’s Circular Quay station and take a short five minute walk to the venue on the West of Circular Quay; or by bus you can come down George Street and be dropped off a minute away.
BY TAXI
Taxis can drop you off at the door or if you want to drive simply park at near by parking stations.
The RAFW Advisory Board
The RAFW National Advisory Board is a collective of industry leaders representing retail, fashion, media and fashion week organizers. Designer participation at RAFW is by invitation only and is determined by a set of policies determined by the industry-elected RAFW National Advisory Board. The RAFW National Advisory Board was established to recommend and review designers and ensure that only the very best of Australian fashion is represented.
The RAFW National Advisory Board members are:
| Simon P Lock IMG Fashion Asia Pacific |
Eva Galambos Director Parlour X |
Kirstie Clements Editor Vogue |
| Alex Perry Designer Alex Perry |
Holly Garber Director Golightly PR |
Nicole Zimmermann Designer Zimmermann |
| Edwina McCann Editor Harper’s BAZAAR |
Jackie Frank Editor Marie Claire |
Thea Basiliou Director Blonde Venus |
| Belinda Seper Director Belinda and The Corner Shop |
Judy Coomber Director – Cosmetics, Intimates, Youth, Childrenswear and Apparel Myer |
|
| Colette Garnsey Group General Manager – Apparel, Cosmetics, Accessories and Footwear David Jones |
Kirrily Johnston Designer Kirrily Johnston |
Conduct Guidelines
SMOKE FREE FASHION EVENT
In 2002, RAFW partnered with the Federal Government to create the ‘Smoke Free Fashion’ initiative. With tobacco smoking as one of the largest preventable causes of death, disease, illness and disability in Australia, the aim of the Smoke Free Fashion initiative was to reduce the high number of images of tobacco smoking in the fashion press and to combat the targeting of RAFW and designers by tobacco companies for their marketing initiatives. The Smoke Free Fashion initiative also sought to draw to the fashion industry’s attention the need to eradicate images of smoking from fashion and social editorial. Along with the Smoke Free Fashion initiative, a number of leading fashion designers, models and celebrities signed the ‘Smoke Free Fashion Pledge’ to support the cause and smoking guidelines were implemented at RAFW that are still in place today. These are:
No models are permitted on an onsite RAFW catwalk while smoking.
No smoking is permitted backstage or in any of the official onsite RAFW venues.
Any member of the fashion industry who is associated with RAFW and is a smoker is encouraged not to allow their image/picture to be taken while smoking.
ILLICIT DRUGS – ZERO TOLERANCE
RAFW does not tolerate the use of illicit drugs at RAFW. Anyone found to be using, dealing or suspected to be under the influence of illicit drugs at RAFW or RAFW operated events will be escorted off-site by RAFW security, handed to the appropriate authorities and dealt with accordingly.
HEALTHY WEIGHT AND POSITIVE BODY IMAGE
RAFW encourages the fashion industry to promote healthy body images through the presentation of and publicity associated with the event. It recognises that the promotion of images of exceedingly thin models on the catwalk may lead to some young Australian women seeing such persons as role models and becoming obsessive about wanting to emulate these images. It is understood that there have been reported links with a variety of eating disorders associated with this scenario around the world.
Designers participating in RAFW are responsible for casting models for their individual shows. RAFW is responsible for casting models for all group shows and any special events also in consultation with designers.
RAFW does not currently see the need to impose strict rules on designers regarding the casting of models at the event in relation to imposing body mass indexes (BMI), or any other forms of body measurement. There has been very little cause for concern regarding this issue in the history of RAFW. Additionally, the vast majority of models appearing at RAFW are Australian who naturally tend towards having higher BMIs given a range of environmental factors. We are also fortunate, given the professional nature of modelling agencies in Australia, who have a strict code of self regulation in respect to the care and governance of the models they represent.
Given the current media speculation on this image issue and by recognising that the promotion of unnaturally or extraordinarily thin models may be harmful to young Australian women, RAFW feels that it is necessary to reinforce to designers, model agencies and industry some sensible self regulating guidelines to avoid any unnecessary situations occurring. These are;
Modelling agencies will be briefed not to send to RAFW designer show castings, for either individual, group or special events, any models who in their professional opinion would be considered to be unnaturally or extraordinarily thin or suspected of having an eating disorder. This statement purely serves to reinforce the current professional practice of Australian modelling agencies.
Designers should be mindful when casting for RAFW shows that there are links between the promotion of unnatural or extraordinarily thin models and eating disorders in young women and to ensure that while healthy, naturally slim models are the industry standard, that extraordinarily thin models are not cast.
To avoid sensationalising body image on the catwalks of RAFW, RAFW encourages all media editors to act responsibly by not publishing unflattering or unfortunate images of models that might be captured despite the best efforts of model agencies, designers and RAFW to present models with positive body images. It is not uncommon for individual pictures to incorrectly portray a model’s body type and publication of these images may contribute negatively to the situation RAFW and the industry are trying to improve.
RAFW only has jurisdiction over group show and special event casting and will not cast unnaturally or extraordinarily thin models for these shows.
RAFW has no jurisdiction over models appearing in individual designer shows and encourages all designers and their agents to adhere to the self regulating guidelines outlined above.
RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
RAFW endorses an ‘enjoy responsibly’ approach to alcohol consumption. RAFW defines responsible drinking as that which is legal, informed and considered. This includes being of legal age (18+) years and abiding by any other applicable laws such as the responsible service of alcohol.
RAFW promotes a balanced, mature and responsible approach to the consumption of alcohol. RAFW will seek to ensure that venue licensees, contracted bar staff, security and management understand their obligations in relation to the service of alcohol and engage in responsible server practices at all times.
Alcohol is to be served only in approved licensed venues by staff trained in the responsible service of alcohol.
MODEL AGE AND PROCEDURES
RAFW requires that any model that participates in RAFW to model adult clothing must be at least 16 years of age or over. They must be managed and represented by a model agency.