IMG's new waterbaby: Swim Fashion Week on the Gold Coast

seafolly

Anyone who is wondering precisely what is the nature of the mystery pow-wow being convened by IMG FASHION Asia Pacific head honcho Simon Lock in Sydney on Thursday morning, frockwriter's sources say that IMG is about to announce the launch of an Australian swimwear showcase on Queensland’s Gold Coast for February. (Updated 19/11/08 @ 9.00am: now confirmed).


UPDATED: SWIM FASHION WEEK (EVENTUALLY) LAUNCHED IN SYDNEY

Although neither Lock’s nor IMG’s names are mentioned in this story that has just gone up in a Gold Coast newspaper, according to Geoff Grady, the ceo of Sanctuary Cove, the Gold Coast luxury resort will host an event called Swim Fashion Week from February 25-28 2009.

The actual venue will be the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove.

Sources have told frockwriter that this is one and the same event being planned by IMG.

Although staged, according to Grady, as part of the resort’s 21st birthday celebrations, reference is made to the event becoming “one of only two swimwear fashion weeks in the world” and “the southern hemisphere equivalent to Miami fashion week”.

IMG of course operates an annual swimwear showcase in Miami.

Frockwriter is curious just how the event will work on, at the very least, the publicity front, given that it is due to take place at exactly the same time as the northern hemisphere autumn/winter 09/10 ready-to-wear collections.

The February timing however synchs perfectly with the selling cycle of Australian swimwear manufacturers.