What is ’7tm’ all about?
Well, this platform exists since 2008 and was established to target creative, playful and curious consumers, consumers that want something special when it comes to buying fashion & design … which they get if you look at the different shops and locations, they all provide the feeling of being special and individual for consumers.
It is not simply ‘retailing’, no, it is an initiative where clustering fashion & design, being together but also being individual, city branding and local ‘area’ consumption come together.

The website www.7tm.at shows not only all the different shops, the shop owners and their concept & products, it also offers special ‘shop tours’, a blog and different recommendations from various people from the ‘scene’.
This platform promotes, together with the Vienna Tourism Board, the Austrian National Tourist Office and some selected hotels in Vienna 58 attractive and individual shops and stores.

Of course we searched through the web 2.0 to see if there are similar concepts around the globe … it seems that ’7tm’ is really unique, we could not find any comparable platform…

Plan this in for your next trip to Vienna and have a look yourself, you will not get disappointed …

This year the MQ Vienna Fashion Week takes place from September 14^th-18^th for the third time and shows a large variety of designers from Austria and countries in Eastern Europe. On September 17^th one can enjoy shows from designers which are based in Thailand, during the other days also some designers from Brasil and Spain do show their collections. In total 3 shops are present, run by www.nelou.com , www.couture-society.com and www.merchzilla.com.

Several after show parties do complete the program. In total 60 designers will be present and do their ‘runway shows’, the complete program can be visited at www.mqviennafashionweek.com Don’t miss this one!

How did we get in touch with them? They were one of our partners at the Lake’s Fashion Days this year and did bring us some great designers. As they are very creative which you will see when reading the interview we thought we should put them a bit more ‘in the picture’.

1. Who are you and why has ‘fashion’ become part of your life?
I am Regine and one of the founding member of www.nelou.com. My business partner Boris, a graphic designer had a few designer friends and decided it was time for everyone to know about those beautiful items they create. I realized, while I was in Bangladesh working for the Grameen Bank, that there is a huge market for independent design worldwide. Wearing big brands’ clothes is out – those were the 90´s. Now, individuality in the way we dress ourselves is key to our personality.

2. Please try to tell us in close to 50 words what ‚NELOU‘ is all about!
The idea of nelou is to create a fashion village. Everyone, anywhere in the world should be able to wear whatever they like. For that we need to be able to access fashion from around the world. So nelou brings together designers and consumers. Dressing the way you like is now a walk in the park!!!

3. What are your daily working activities for ‘NELOU’?
More and more fashion events want us as partners, so we are very busy with selecting the right designer for the events. For example during Berlin Fashion Week we were partners of the Ramazzotti Runway Award. The winner was one of our labels.
We are just in the process of launching a magazine in print and online. The first fashion magazine from which the products are purchasable. Otherwise we do a lot of marketing and improving the website.

4. Please tell us which project are coming up!
We are partners of the MQ Vienna Fashion Week which takes place this year in September, so we are getting ready for that. Also we are very busy with the launch of our new magazine. The Ring and nelou will also be working together on fashion events in 2011. Sooo many things that are happening. The platform is constantly changing as well – so that is an ongoing project!!

5. Tell us about your most remarkable experiences in the fashion industry!
The Lake’s Fashion Days as well as the Ramazzotti Runway Award during Berlin Fashion Week were definitely some of our highlights. We only started this company beginning of 2011 but it is going soooo well. More and more events want to partner with us. The quality of designer we present on our website is increasing. We currently present 300 designers from 16 countries and over 3000 products.

6. Are there any trends you see in the fashion industry which you want to share with us?
Green Fashion, independent fashion, young fashion is more on the radar of people than ever. Lady Gaga is on of the main supporters of young and independent design and that becomes more relevant to you and I by the day!!! Hence we started nelou.tv – a talk show kind of format where we introduce the designers behind the label in a more funny kind of way. People want to identify with the designers whose clothes they are wearing. Here on example: Interview with Dörte Kaufmann:

7. Why should people visit www.nelou.com?
If you want to express your own style, be independent of trends and just really express yourself, nelou is the place for you. We have designers from 16 countries – hence a rather diverse set of trends. You can also get to know the designers whose clothes you are wearing by watching nelou.tv.

8. Any comments you want to share with us?
For anyone interested in getting in touch with us, Stylists, Press, PR, Magazines, Newspapers, Designers, Consumers, Fashionistas, anyone really, we are more than delighted in hearing from you.
Please contact us through mail@nelou.com.

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?
I really love to make research, interviews, travel, going to events, make pictures and at the same time to improve my fashion knowledge, being up to date about the impressive fashion industry and the fast increasing online marketing possibilities.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
There is nearly anything that I don’t like, but sometimes its quite hard to make a good job at my daily work, go to events on evenings, write for the blogs I and still be up to date about what is going on in the Fashion & Model industry as well as in online Marketing.

4. Please tell us about your blog ‘Modeltalk’ and your future aims!
I started Modeltalk in February 2009. What first was an idea to learn more about the web, online marketing and the systems behind SEO and of being able to sum up informations for models, newcomers and those who are interested in fashion, is growing to a real work. While at the beginning there was more action from my side, trying to get more people to read it- is now growing up, giving me a chance to get a really insight into fashion from a wider perspective. Photographers, models, agencies, designers …
The near future main aim is to grow and share more information on a daily basis. Everything else depends on how my “daily work” will change in the next view months, as I am thinking of setting up a business- it’s kind of an adventure- we will see!

5. Are you working with other blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Actually I am not working with other blogs, but of course I have get to know many people having their blogs and I nearly read all of them or at least try to. I just started to write for a global fashion community called “The Fashionglobe” this can be called a collaboration. To mention a favourite blog is quite difficult, but as I grew up in Spain and try to keep in touch with it I mostly read Fashionísima.

6. Your TOP 3 models and why?
That’s a really difficult question! A lot of models are amazing and do a great job. As an austrian I am really amazed by Iris Strubegger- who has also been honoured by the austrian fashion industry. Her look, her works, her type is quite amazing. One of the models that most impressed me in my youth was Aurelie Claudel and she still was for me one of the most beautiful models on catwalks and prints. Last, but not least, I am a fan of Lara Stone- she is amazing!

7. Your TOP 3 model images and/or campaigns and why?
I love the campaign Jessica Stam did for Aldo last season. I like the Calvin Klein Campaign Lara Stone just did and I am already curious how the other campaigns she will shoot for Calvin Klein will look like. What I also remember quite well of the last months is the campaign image of Anna de Rijk for Gianfranco Ferré in F/W 2010 – I liked the picture a lot.

8. What are your general comments about the current model industry and the future trends?
At the moment I think it is quite difficult to say anything about the future of any industry in which the biggest value added is made through services. The current model industry is huge, but also hard to be a part of it for models, as well as for agencies as competition has grown and is still growing. The future depends on how the economy will develop- I think that is a real general comment.

9. Any comments you want to share with us?
Thank you a lot for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and present myself on this blog! It’s a pleasure!

Also special are the shows which will take place on Saturday, May 14^th, 2011, all under the label ‘styleaut/nelou’, here we will see 8 individual designers and during the ‘Fashion&Food’ side event in the evening a ‘best-of’ of those 8 designers.

We are also happy to see that many designers that operate out of Carinthia or were born in Carinthia: AnnaKos Couture, Rettl 1868 Kilts & Fashion, Katrin Kafka, Tanja Graf, Selene Regensfelder, Pleamle, Lisa Pek and Gabriela Urabl from the label ‘Dirndlherz’.

We are also proud to see the reaction from Slovenia, in total we will have 2 different shows by ‘SQUAT’ and 3 other individual shows by the labels Ostform, Janja Videc and Faganel / Ana Lazovski.

Some special attention needs to be given to the ‘closing show’ on May 15^th which will be sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional. No details yet available but all will be visible on our website fashiondays.mylakehotel.com pretty soon.

Next to the shows we will have great side events, starting from the magnificent opening party, the LOUNGE.FM Party on May 12^th, the Infiniti Night on May 13^th, the Norderd Vodka Night on May 14^th as well as the Fashion@Food Dinner on May 14^th …

We will have a very very very long catwalk … 24 models … 2 Frauscher boats … and 6 Infiniti cars … per day 10 fashion bloggers or more, from Austria, Slovenia, Germany or the UK … media & press … 3 presenting sponsors and 7 event sponsors … 21 event partners and 26 media & blog partners …

Now we just need a great weather and many many many visitors and ‘fashionistas’ … so please feel free to visit the different shows, they are without entry fee, invite your friends or join our Facebook page.

Lake Wörthersee & Fashion, here we come!

The Ring Hotel, Vienna´s Casual Luxury Hotel, is event sponsor of the Lake´s Fashion Days 2011.

After the lunch at the restaurant at eight all participants ‘disappeared’ into the ‘Ring Suite’ and Eva Poleschinski had the chance to talk about her label, to explain how she works and also used the opportunity to show some pieces of her collection.

The following bloggers excepted the invitation for this Fashion Blog Lunch:

- Fanfarella fanfarella.at
- Colazione a Roma stylekingdom.com/teresa/
- Austrianfashionnet austrianfashion.net
- Bikinis and Passports bikinisandpassports.blogspot.com
- Style Kitchen www.style-kitchen.com
- Mr. Strictly Intimate mrstrictlyintimate.wordpress.com
- Mangoblüte mangobluete.wordpress.com

We are very curious which designer will be the next one …

From May 11^th until May 15^th 2011 the Lake´s Fashion Days will take place in Pörtschach, Carinthia, Austria. Lake´s – my lake hotel & spa, opened in 2010, will organize a unique fashion show at the breathtaking lake Wörthersee.

4 DAYS PACKED WITH FASHION FROM AUSTRIA, GERMANY, ITALY AND SLOVENIA

More than 30 designers from the area around the Alps and the Danube – Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia – will present their fashion during 4 days.

The collections shown at the Lake´s Fashion Days follow the motto of “the new interpretation of a summer hideaway” – an expression from the 19^th century, meaning a relaxing stay in the country of the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie during the summertime. Glamorous dresses and summer casual wear are also part of the show as beachwear and accessoires.

A HOTEL IS TURNED INTO A CATWALK

The setting of the fashion event is the nature, the Karavankes and the Carnic Alps, the lake Wörthersee, but also the modern architecture of Lake´s – my lake hotel & spa. The building as well as its infrastructure is directly implemented into this great happening; they are the platform, stage and setting for the presentation of fashion.

The way of presenting the collections differentiates the Lake´s Fashion Days from already known fashion shows. Parts of the hotel such as the lakes bridge or the hotel terrace with lake view are turned into the catwalk.

Just take a look at the recently launched website of the Lake´s Fashion Days: fashiondays.mylakehotel.com and become a part of it.

FASHION-HIGHLIGHTS & SHOPPING – 4 consecutive days long at 1 place

- 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 2^nd lunch took place on January 15^th, 2011 with the designer Maria Doychinova and her label ‘Doychinoff‘. She talked about her label, explained how she works and designs and also showed some of her pieces. The following bloggers accepted the invitation and attended this Fashion Blog Lunch:

- Austrian Fashion net www.austrianfashion.net
- Michaela Ambos www.cooloutfit.at
- Anna Heuberger www.hpunktanna.com
- www.fanfarella.at
- Teresa Hammerl colazionearoma.com
- Vicky H. bikinisandpassports.blogspot.com
- Leni www.style-kitchen.com
- blicablica.blogspot.com
- Miss Viki www.missviki.at

Again, like in September 2010, this was a great success and also shows how a hotel can successfully cooperate with and position itself within the fashion industry in Austria combined with web 2.0.