Megan Gale and Alex Perry preview in new frock series, Project Runway . .

According to a media release and short promo video in today, the third series of the find a fashion designer series, Project Runway, starts on Foxtel, July 4.
Here it goes:



"PROJECT RUNWAY AUSTRALIA: ALL STITCHED UP ON ARENA
Season 3 premieres Monday, July 4 at 8.30pm

FOXTEL today announced the highly anticipated third season of Project Runway Australia, hosted by Megan Gale, will premiere Monday, July 4 at 8.30pm on Arena.
The exciting new season boasts some of the toughest competition the series has ever seen and a brand new panel of industry experts.
Australia’s most glamorous fashion designer, Alex Perry, will help guide the search for the next big name in fashion in his role as designer mentor, while Kirrily Johnston and Jarrad Clark join Megan Gale on the judging panel.
New designer mentor, Alex Perry, is best known for his show-stopping gowns and sensational red carpet evening wear and has been making women all over the world look and feel glamorous for over 17 years.
The Alex Perry brand is synonymous with luxury, prestige and quality. His celebrity following and ‘Perry Girls’ include; Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Nelly Furtado, Rihanna, Natalie Portman, Miranda Kerr, Elle Macpherson, Megan Gale and Sarah Murdoch.
New judge, Kirrily Johnston, is regarded as one of Australia’s most cutting-edge fashion designers, with clothing that blends elegance with innovation. Her internationally renowned label, focuses on luxurious fabrics and quality craftsmanship, with clothes that are detailed and tailored yet maintain a sexy modern edge.
As a judge on Project Runway Australia, Johnston will cast her commercial eye over the contestants’ designs alongside industry expert Jarrad Clark.
Clark’s experience spans working with the major creative heads in fashion, Australia and worldwide, as the Global Event Production Director of IMG Fashion.
Clark produces fashion events that draw together the world’s top designers, models, photographers, art directors and stylists, and brings to Project Runway Australia a thorough understanding of the fashion industry from the ground up. With expertise in directing events that attract VIP buyers locally and internationally, he knows how to get your brand recognised on a global scale.
This season has unearthed some of the most talented fashion designers Project Runway
Australia has ever seen.
Five designers from New South Wales; Anthony Allars, Dylan
Cooper, Johnny Schembri, Nerida Bourne and Rachael Perks, four designers from Victoria;Claire Hocking, Craig Braybrook, Gabrielle Stephens and Matcho Suba and three designers from Western Australia; Anna McEachran, Amanda McKenna and Timothy
Godbold will battle it out in the workroom and on the runway.
Leading fashion names such as Collette Dinnigan, Camilla Franks, Dannii Minogue and Australian fashion royalty, Carla Zampatti, will also appear as guest judges, adding to the new series’ already impressive lineup."

Leading designer Willow gears up for one mega sale . . .

Lovers of the hugely popular Willow label (designed by Kit Willow Podgornik) will have their cash and credit cards at the ready, the brand holding a Huge sale with 50-70% off from past and recent collections.
The 'on sale' pieces will include 'show' pieces & lots of one-off samples.
Dresses from $100, Tops from $75 and pants from $95.
Sale opens to the the public on Thursday, May 12 between 8am - 8pm as well as Friday, May 13 between 8am - 6pm and Saturday May 14 between 10am - 4pm.
Sale is at Level 4, 119 Kippax Street Surry Hills, phone (o2) 9281 7355.
Cash, EFTPOS and major credit cards welcome.
Let me tell you, this will be one of the more anticipated fashion sales of the year (let's face it, Willow is so hot right now) and mos will be sure to find something amazing to satisfy a sale craving.

Whatever happened to a backpack, sleeping bag and pay-phone? All this travel technology actually sucks . . . .

What is it always about long-haul flights that make me cry?
And more stupidly, what is it about all my assembled technology that it seems to be the most important part of my packing dilemma?
Forget the right frocks, shoes, travel-friendly clothes and event-appropriate attire, it's all about making sure I have packed every damn bit of technology, including a zillion leads, downloading implements and cords. Gawd. More stressful than remembering to pack the Normisons.
So, as my iPod bumps out a pot-pourri of ridiculously disparate songs, I smile . . . and I well up. There's Warren Zevon with Excitable Boy; Hootie and the Blowfish with 'I only want to be with you'; John Lennon chucks out some 'Mind Games'; Alphaville does Forever Young (yes, it's the original); Joy Division rips up Love Will Tear Us Apart and Smetana unleashes the classic Moldau (ok, and moving into 2011, Gaga talks Bad Romance).
They're all on my iPod but all I do is well up, mostly because I keep thinking I've forgotten a piece of 'gold' techno crapola in the computer bag.
Or maybe the tears are just from the wine (and water) I consume as I fly, kinda feelin' high.
Anyway, this all got me thinking about travel packing. And the modern mechanics of it all.
So sure, right. There is the computer. Ok, that's a standard. It's easy, but I'm always in a state if I don't always know whether there is Wi-Fi access at my hotel.
Fortunately it is basically everywhere, but you never know whether it is going to kick in at the right, or wrong time.
Then there's my iPod (see above for reasons to cry) and its assorted cord accoutrements. There's the iPad (ditto re. thw extra cords and yet another SIM card) and there's my most favourite thing: an easy Sony Sureshot camera (beyond brilliant and makes everyone look about 4-years-old) . . . but never forget to take the battery charger and the leads so you can download your snaps.
Gawd, just some more technology to think about . . .
Oh yes, then there is the BlackBerry and it's cording along with a local SIM card.
I always take an old Nokia so I can take out my Australian SIM card (and buy a local one) as opposed to leaving my Oz one in my BB, ending up with a billion dollar 'roaming' internet charge.
Three days in Singapore last year and $1500 later for texts and a cupla calls (forgetting that once your Blackberry is 'roaming', you may as well declare bankruptcy.)
Oh, and this was all before even thinking about packing the real suitcase.
Ahh, technology. A necessary evil. We love it, but kinda hate it too . . . .