April Marie Hewat – April Marie Swimwear – Stand 3864
December will be a bumper month for Melbourne swimwear designer April Hewat (pictured with beauty queen Jennifer Hawkins). At the Miss World finals in Johannesburg, Australia’s contender, Sophie Lavers, will flaunt three creations by April – “my Peacock and Frangipani bikinis, and Giraffe print swimsuit.” And at a popular venue on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, some 200 hopefuls will compete for the honour of being the Face – and sensational body – of April Marie Swimwear’s next catalogue.
“It’s going to be a great event – celebrity hosts, a vintage car display and lots of prizes,” says April. “I thought: we don’t need to go to Sydney for great swimwear models or to the Whitsundays for fabulous scenery. We have it all in our own backyard.”
Since she launched her label in mid-2008, the feisty Melburnian
has made a major splash in the fashion press including Vogue Australia and proved a favourite at the May 2009 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.Arresting prints are April Hewat’s specialty. Her EcoAbstract collection teems with exotica and thanks to the support of acclaimed Australian landscape photographer Ken Duncan, she also has an exclusive range featuring his images.
“I’ll be launching my latest collection at Fashion Exposed – my first time at the fair,” says the designer who is now selling in Europe. “It will include some very pretty pieces with lots of frills, DD-size bikini tops and my new animal prints. They’re top secret!”