The Australian Five - G'day USA 2012

27th OF January 2012

Five of Australia’s most talented fashion designers – Christopher Esber, Fernando Frisoni, Kym Ellery, Magdalena Velveska and recent SOYA winner, Michael Lo Sordo have taken their incredible collections to New York City for a unique program with the Woolmark Company, in partnership with the Australians in New York Fashion Foundation.

Five of Australia's most promising young designers showcased their collections at a private cocktail event held at the Crosby Street Hotel.

It was an opportunity for the five designers: Michael Lo Sordo, Kym Ellery, Magdalena Velevska, Christopher Esber and Kym Ellery to showcase their Fall/Winter collections to U.S. buyers and press. New York's top tier press and fashion industry executives viewed the presentation, which was the culmination of The Australian Five program - a joint effort of Woolmark and the Australians in New York Fashion Fashion Foundation (AINYFF).

The program was part of G'Day USA - an annual initiative designed to promote Australian business in the USA. “The Australian Five is focused on bringing the best of Australian design and putting them in front of New York‟s best fashion editors, stylists and buyers,” explains Woolmark CEO Stuart McCullough. “The people who have come together to support this project is a testament to the value of both Australian designers and the Merino fibre in the international market,” says Rob Langtry, Global Marketing Director of The Woolmark Company.

At the cocktail event were AINYFF's Malcolm Carfrae, Richard Christianson and Julie Anne Quay; Victoria‟s Secret model Shanina Shaik, daughter of the former Australian Prime Minister Katherine Keating, Aussie actor Emma Lung, photographer Sante D‟Orazio, Argentinian model and 'It girl' Tati Cotliar and Calvin Klein designer Kevin Carrigan.

Carfrae notes, “This is a unique opportunity for New York opinion formers to view the work of five talented young Australian fashion designers in a very intimate and close-up setting, meet the designers and really see the fabric innovation and design skill.”