A new Grazia

Gemma Ward for Mark Vassallo

Alison Veness-McGourty

I have heard from an insider that the offices of the new Australian Grazia, which should launch in August, have opened to the staff two weeks ago. The magazine is going to be edited by Alison Veness-McGourty, formerly at Haper's Bazaar, and I was really excited to learn that Mark Vassallo and Edwina McCann have taken the positions of Fashion Director and Fashion Features director.

Both Mark and Edwina are major figures of the Australian fashion world: Vassallo is one of the most sought after stylists in Australia, and he is responsible for discovering Gemma Ward and launching her lightning career. Edwina, who has written for Vogue Australia and The Australian in the past, has used her writing skills to support designers as talented as Tina Kalivas, Mad Cortes and the now internationally reknown Collette Dinnigan.

When I was in Sydney over Christmas I fell in love with Alannah Hill's clothes: I tried on the most gorgeous cabaret-inspired shoes I ever saw in her Paddington shop... my feet were so beautiful in it -no false modesty- I almost cried when I had to take them off. Financial matters can be really heart-breaking!

I can't wait to get my hands on the first issue of Australian Grazia: it is obviously a winning team and hopefully will help promote Australian designers who are too often overlooked in the international fashion community.