The World Bodypainting Festival, this year for the 1^st time at Lake Wörthersee, promises to become a new event highlight in Pörtschach. It offers a colorful festival program, a great mixture of art, music and shows and it brings national and international celebrities to the lake. The main days of the festival will be crazy, unique and outstanding. Next to a ‘WBF.academy‘ with interesting workshops and classes there will be a ‘WBF.music’ full of music acts, bands & DJ´s as well as a ‘WBF. fashion‘ with a fashion park, fashion shows and a couture award. Fashion freaks that are looking for unique pieces can buy these at the fashion park, designers that want to get involved directly can participate at the WBF couture.award, a fashion contest solely for designers.

National & international stars & VIP´s will show up, that is for sure, you may find some of them already when taking a closer look at www.bodypainting-festival.com. Enjoy a hot summer at the Lake Wörthersee and get inspired by some of the artists, perhaps for painting something yourself?

1. Who are you?

2. What do you like about what you do?
We like to give our guests a very relaxed atmosphere, where they can feel like in their own livingroom in our house, in a stylish and modern way with cool eatch different rooms, with a very good restaurant and a phantastic spa-area where you can see the big mountains of the Zillertaler-Alps.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
We like what we do, and that is the point, maybe the different to the others!!!

4. Please tell us about your Lifestyle Hotel ‘Mountain & Soul’ and your aims with it?
With Mountain and Soul we are trying to create a new concept in the mountains with a new soul and a new spirit. This is where lifestyle, art and design, relaxation, fun and vitality meet! A young, dynamic team contributes to the hip and trendy concept with passion, charm, intuition and the tendency to lateral thinking and creates a new definition of hospitality.

5. Are you already working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
No, this is the first time, and we are very interested on it!

6. Is your hotel listed on Facebook and if yes, why did you decide to do that?
We are on facebook, at first with our Hotel Mountain&Soul as a grouppage and then with our ala carte restaurant ”soulkitchen” ! Facebook is a good base to info all persons in our area, when we have some specials, event´s, daily dishes …

7. Your TOP 3 hotel experiences and why?
There are a lot of Hotels in Zillertal, but no one compare with us!

8. Your TOP 3 food/restaurant experiences and why?
Also there are many good restaurants, traditional, oldschool, newschool, local fast food and different like the others … our soulkitchen!

9. Can you give our visitors some information on what they need to see/visit when staying at your hotel?
For sure the Mountains, in summer with hiking, paragliding, raften, canyoning, mountainbiking, racebike, the nature in the sidevallys in Zillertal, in winter the great Skiareas in the whole valley and for all over the year for sure the tuxer glacier! the local food, the friendly Austrian people … you have to see, we don´t can explain!

10. Any comments you want to share with us?
come & see @ mountain & Soul and enjoy the spirit with us together!

- Who are you?
My name is Claudia Rosa Lukas, I am the co-founder and the main force behind the online presence of AUSTRIANFASHION.net.

- What do you like about what you do?
Thinking of simple ideas and making them big.

- What don’t you like about what you do?
Seeing simple ideas get complicated.

- Please tell us about AUSTRIANFASHION.NET and your goals.
Initiated by a group of independent fashion designers, AUSTRIANFASHION.NET was launched in September 07 as a unique networking platform for the Austrian fashion industry. From its first hour, the website was conceived as a synergetic initiative to support young and upcoming designers by putting their work into the limelight.
AUSTRIANFASHION.NET offers relevant information for all designers, art institutions, journalists and fashionistas eager to know more about the country’s very much alive fashion scene.

In addition, editorial contributions provide in-depth coverage of all important fashion events in Austria as well as of venues abroad that mark the appearance of Austrian fashion designers.

One of the founders’ main aims was to generate increased interest for the multi-faceted landscape of Austrian fashion and to trigger passionate discussions about its potential for the future.

AUSTRIANFASHION.NET combines all the advantages of independent and fast-moving online publishing. Once again, it allows a broad readership to delve into Austria’s fashion scene and learn about it from a dedicated and entertaining insiders’ perspective.
Besides information, communication and constant research, we biannually publish the Austrian Fashion Guide, which offers an overview of Austrian designers showing their collections at the Paris Fashion Week.

Six thousand copies of the guide are printed and distributed to an international audience of buyers, stylists and fashion journalists.

The guide can be downloaded here.

At the beginning of May 2009, a fair for fashion designers and manufacturers took place in Vienna for the very first time. The fair was initiated by AUSTRIANFASHION.NET and was quite successful.

- Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Of course we are working with several blogs and sites similar to ours, both at a national and international level. We strongly believe in networking. This is the only way to make sure your message gets heard. It was therefore possible – in less than one year – to create an effective network comprising local and international editors. This reflects the basic idea of the internet as an ever-changing community engaged in continuous conversation. A steadily growing number of visitors appreciate this multifaceted inside look into a wide range of topics covered.

- Your experiences with the fashion industry in Austria?
Compared to the increasing number of independent Austrian fashion labels, the industry is very small.
Lots of new labels have been founded since 2000 because of the lack of employment opportunities in this field.
Still lots of information, subsidies and networking is required to understand and work with this multi-faceted landscape of Austrian fashion on an industrially manufactured basis, including tradition and innovation at the same time. There is still a lot of work to do and that is very challenging!

- Any other comments you want to share with us?
Let’s do things exactly right.

The first ‘Kunstsupermarket’ opened its doors 1998 in Marburg in Germany, 1999 the second location was founded in Frankfurt, after that Solothurn, Giessen and Berlin joined. Since 2007 the ‘Kunstsupermarkt’ is active in Vienna.

What´s the idea? Well, pretty easy to explain, see it like a supermarket where they also ‘play’ with features, decoration and prices. In every location between 40 and 70 artists do not only sell their pieces, they also need to exhibit at least 40 pieces. The ‘Kunstsupermarkt’ is a lively project, history has proved that up to 175 artists have shown (and hopefully sold) more than 30.000 pieces of art.

The 4 USP´s to the idea ‘Kunstsupermarket’:

1. Want to buy art? ‘Kunstsupermarkt’ makes it possible
2. Buy art : taste is what counts
3. Art to touch
4. Art makes happy

In Vienna you can visit ‘Kunstsupermarkt’ at the Mariahilfer Strasse (6^th district) in the socalled ‘Passage’ until January 17^th, 2011. Here you can see, touch and buy different pieces of art, from acrylic pieces, drawings, aquarelle and oil paintings, prices are defined at EUR 50,00, EUR 99,00, EUR 199,00 and EUR 299,00 per piece.

1. Who are you?

2. What do you like about what you do?
Being creative… This is what I love since being a child. I always used to draw, to sing, to play instruments or to write…Also a good thing is to get in touch with lots of different people around the world. And also working with people, who feel the same passion for art like me.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Hm, this is a difficult question. I think there is nothing I don´t like…. maybe sometimes there is too much work, but on the other side this is also a good point. Haha…

4. Please tell us about ‘C-Heads Magazine’, include your strategy and tell us about your future goals and target groups

C-Heads Magazine is all about photography, music, art, fashion, trends and lifestyle. We show talents, newcomers and well-known artists from all over the world. We think, that art is an important part of life. The playful side of life. Breathtaking pictures tell stories. Music that touches and supplies the soundtrack of life. Fashion that can show, who you are and what you want to express. Art that shows our individuality and connects us to each other.

Our target group are people around the world who are interested in any kind of art. A big target group of course are artists themselves, like stylists, make-up artists, fashion designers, musicians, illustrator and so on… the list is long.

A special point in our magazine is, that there is a chance for everyone to get into the magazine. This is our Be-Inside concept. We don´t mind f.e. if you are a star photographer or someone who just loves doing photography during your free time. When at the end the pictures are what we like you can make it into the magazine.
Future Goals: it would be great if we could get more and more well-known and of course it would be great if we can continue doing what we love and live from it. We would love to have C-Heads Magazine also in a printed version at one point! But this is really talking about the future.

5. How is ‘C-Heads Magazine’ positioned?
The good thing is, C-Heads Magazine was the first Austrian Online Magazine. We started this project, when the idea was still fresh and new. So we are like a primary rock in that scene.

6. Are you working with blogs/websites and if yes, what is your favourite one and why?
Being honest, I am not so much into blogs any more. I owned a blog myself some time ago. But at the moment there are too many of them, and most of them are repeating the information.

7. Your experiences with the creative industry in general?
In my opinion the international creative industry is mostly very professional , well organised and open minded. So i have lots of good experiences with it.

8. Which future trends do you see for the creative industry, especially in Austria?
I think that Austria´s creative scene is going to getting more and more attention in the future. There is a lot of potential in the new generation. I hope that the scene will be able to progress by opening their borders. Working together more and more tolerance between the different scenes is an important part of that.

9. Your TOP 3 magazines and why?
TUSH Magazine is awesome. Full with very good high quality and innovative fashion photography. I also like ID Magazine and V Magazine. They are always so colourful and fresh in a way.

10. Any comments you want to share with us?
Yeah, maybe strange, but everyone should try to make this planet into a heavens place…. so it´s all about love. Thanks a lot for the interview!

What are the reasons for organising a fashion event like the MQ VIENNA FASHION WEEK?

What are your short and middle term goals?
To us it is very important that we can welcome a lot of fashionistas, motivated designers and satisfied sponsors. More detailed: With a fashion event like the MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK we hope to promote the Austrian fashion scene on a national as well as on an international level. Our future plan is to organize the MQ VIENNA FASHION WEEK twice a year like all the other fashion weeks in the world.

The idea to establish Vienna as a centre for fashion is not new at all. Why is the MQ VIENNA FASHION WEEK different and what is so special about it?
That’s right. Vienna hosted some very good fashion events in the past. But we do not want to just produce a catwalk event: We want to create a communication platform. Designers can get in contact with national and international buyers during opening hours- not just at the after show parties. The fashion conscious customers are an important part of our concept. They will see the latest trends and buy directly from the designers.

How do you see your target audience? Who is invited to come?
Everyone is more than welcome to visit the Mq Vienna Fashion Week. Everybody can visit, from the head of buyers of a big chain to every woman and every man who has an interest in fashion. We want the perfect mix of industry, trade and fashion conscious consumers. After all we create a platform for the exchange of ideas not just catwalk shows.

What kinds of fashion can we expect?
We focus on prêt a porter as well as urban design.

You always talk about Austrian designers. Do you exclude international ones?
Fashion always was and will always be international. Our main focus lies on Austrian designers but we have managed to get the right balance between national and international designers. For more details check our website: www.mqviennafashionweek.com.

Which designers are invited? Do you have a frame program?
We do not want and also cannot favour one particular designer. The MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK will feature 65 national but also international designers: Some with their own catwalk show, some with representative stands. From September 24th until the September 27th 30 fashion shows will take place- lounges, coffeehouses and chill out areas will be offered to the visitor as well. To make a long story short: The Austrian fashion scene will be assembled at one spot!

What are the highlights?
Each day is a highlight! Especially we are looking forward to the 24. of September: A night hosted by DIVA Magazine with the show of the international well-know designer Michel Mayer. Another highlight will be Friday where the focus lies on menswear. Tom Rebl will show his amazing collection. We are also very proud that Marcel Ostertag- winner of the Ringstraßen Galerien Design Award 2009 will show his collection on Saturday. Sunday stands in the light of Urban Design with the Austrian hat designer Julia Cranz (Anna Netrebko und Sarah Jessica Parker wear her creations).

Just come and see!

The Ring Hotel, Vienna´s Casual Luxury Hotel, is partner of the MQ Vienna Fashion Week 09.

1. Who are you?

2. What do you like about what you do?
I am my own Master and the man in the house

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Getting sick.

4. Please tell us about your hotel and your aims with it?
To smash people’s daily routine and give them an experience they never had before.
61 rooms, 21 artist, 1,000 ideas
Each room is an individual piece of art. From wacky comical styles to strict graphic design. From fantastic street art and Japanese Manga to simply spaced out fantasies. You will find flowers, fairytales, friendly monsters, dreaming creatures, secrets vaults and …
Come by, check in and discover our spaces.
One thing we promise: You haven’t seen anything like it.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Sorry no.

6. Your TOP 3 hotel experiences
Hotel FOX, Hotel FOX, Hotel FOX

7. Your TOP 3 destination experiences
Danish Design Centre, the opera and Islands Brygge

8. Your TOP 3 food and/or beverage experiences
Restaurant NOMA, L’education Nationale and SALT

9. Can you offer possible readers 3 things they absolutely need to do/visit/see when visiting your city?
Hotel FOX, the beach and Kongens Have (doing picinc)

10. Any comments you want to share with us?
May the FOX be with you

For the launch of the new Volkswagen Fox 21 international artists from the fields of graphic design, urban art and illustration turned Hotel Fox in central Copenhagen, into the world’s most exciting and creative lifestyle hotel.

2. What do you like about what you do?
I am obsessed with beauty and I love to work with people and bring out the best in them from inside as well as concerning their look.
Being in my job also means being surrounded by luxury and beauty very often.
It is very enriching for me to have the possibility to meet and get to know so many interesting people of different cultural background and occupation.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
That sometimes I don`t have enough time for my kids.

4. Please tell us about your brand/company and your aim with it?
I coach people in questions of Style as well as Image, Charisma and how to present themselves.
I work with private people, but also corporate.
The ranch of my services is wide and absolutely depending on the needs of my clients.
Apart from Personality Coaching, i offer consultation during shopping or go shopping for my clients. Decorating homes is also a part of my job.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
This is my first experience with a blog … so “The Ring” is my absolutely favourite blog!

6. Your experiences with the luxury industry?
High density of beauty.
I love luxury hotels, jewels, art, high fashion and I try to find the most glamorous and worthy things for my clients.

7. Any comments you want to share with us?
Live every moment a hundred percent and with your heart … that increases the probability dramatically that tomorrow will be good as well.

Visit lunablustyle.com

• Jan Hendrik van Dillen – Palais Coburg
• Oscar del Campo, Imperial & Bristol
• Carl-Peter Echtermeijer, Grand Hotel Wien & The Ring Hotel
• Johann Mikats, Ambassador.

In May 2008 van Dillen, del Campo, Echtermeijer and Mikats met with Vienna Deluxe to determine which factors their luxury hotels have in common. At the traditional Café Griensteidl, it was remarkable to note what a magnet Vienna has become for foreign guests.”

Click below to download the complete article in German, English and Russian (PDF, 2.4 MB):