Celebrating the 75 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Brazil, the Australia-Brazil Business Council – AUBRBC has the pleasure to invite members and friends to attend our B.Talks special series of free online events.

The event is organized in collaboration with the Consulate General of Brazil in Sydney, the Embassy of Brazil in Canberra and further partners and it takes place every first Thursday of the month.

Next B.Talks will discuss “Textile and Fashion Industry” featuring the following experts:

Caterina Graziosi – Brilliant Minds Consulting – profile

Laurent Kabbabe, Louis Vuitton former CFO Latin America – profile  

Rafael Cervone, ABIT President Emeritus – profile

Renata Facchini, Liquido Active Ceo – profile 

Flavia Egypto – APEX Trade Promotion Specialist -profile

Lourenço Bartholomei – ABEST Vice President – profile

Thais Oso – AUBRBC Board Director – Moderator -profile

On Thursday, July, 2nd at 8:30am Australia Eastern Standard Time

On Wednesday, July, 1st at 7:30pm Brasilia Time

B.Talks is a series of events created by the Australia Brazil Business Council where participants have the opportunity to listen and interact in an insightful Talk with experts and authorities in the relevant fields of international trade. 

Previous editions featured experts in Innovation, Digital Marketing, Finance, Social Media, Agribusiness and Bilateral Opportunities after Covid-19. The event is sponsored by the Consulate General of Brazil in Sydney. Supported by Austrade, Apex, Abest, Abit, Embassy of Brazil in Canberra, IBREI and LATAM Airlines. 

Marcia Kemp, founder of the Rio de Janeiro brand Nannacay, attends a digital panel at FASHINNOVATION NYC, which will take place on June 5th, alongside international leaders from the fashion and technology industries, as well as personalities from various institutions.

The talk will focus on sustainability, "the future of fashion", solidarity and hope - with a strong emphasis on "World Environment Day" and "World Oceans Day".

In the face of the global crisis caused by COVID-19, the Brazilian Fashion Designers Association prepared a protocol proposal for fashion brands orientation and adaptation in the period of activities and social circulation reopening. The protocol was sent to São Paulo city hall, which will analyze the proposal together with the Secretary for Economic Development and Labor and the Secretary of Health. 

São Paulo city hall wants to resume the reopening of the economy alongside with the sectorial unions so that the reopening will take place in the safest way, preventing coronavirus contagion from employees and customers. 

Check the proposed protocol below: 

CONSUMER COURSE OF ACTION 

Cleaning 

• Hand sanitizer must be available at the entrance and inside of store locations.

• Objects of systematic use and all surfaces must be clean and disinfect. Credit card machines and readers must be wiped in front of the customer before use and bundled up in clear plastic wrap.

• All store entrances must have cleaning shoes solutions available for customers.

• Locations must remove services and amenities that delay customers exiting the stores.

• It is imperative that the adopted hygiene protocol is flagged clearly in the stores, bringing maximum security to the customer.

• Stores must consider keeping the changing rooms closed, or ensuring social distance between fitting rooms, and incorporating its regular heavy and detailed cleaning.

• Stores must consider some possible solutions for the try out pieces and touched inventory, which include its storage, the use of technological cleaning products that kill the virus or the use of high temperature steamers.

• Stores should invest in glass or acrylic displays, which highlight the goods and make its easy cleaning, in addition to visual resources such as video or images that show its use. If the customer tries something out, everything that he or she touches must be sanitized.

Disclosures

• Inform clearly, through audiovisual resources, in physical spaces and even on social media, the hygiene protocols adopted by the brand, as well as guidelines for safe servicing in stores.

Social Distancing

• Limiting the number of consumers within the store, ensuring that they are at a minimum distance of 1.5m  (6 feet -about 2 arms’ length) between customers and / or employees.

• Whenever possible, adopting self-servicing and delivery solutions.

Opening hours

• Operating at reduced hours, as directed by the health authorities, in addition to studying the possibility of a period of the day to attend scheduled appointments only.

• Enforcing mandatory masks usage by customers and employees.

• Cloth masks must be double layered and must be changed every 2 hours or whenever it gets damp. After its use, the mask must be stored in a sealed plastic bag to be washed at home, and ironed in high temperatures.

• Disposable masks must be made of TNT and may be disposed of in ordinary trash cans.

• Remove the face covering by un-tying it or removing the loops from your ears, avoiding touching the front of the mask when removing it.

THE CREW

• Make your team feel safe with clear communication, with hygiene and safety equipment (hand sanitizer, masks and / or gloves) provided.

• Removing sensitive risk groups employees and reducing overall number of employees inside the stores, using alternative working schedules.

• Avoiding sharing of personal items, such as computers, landlines and cell phones. If there is a need to share, sanitize the item before and after sharing it with hand sanitizer or 70% Alcohol.

• Performing crew’s temperature and well being checks on arrival and departure from work place. If a worker shows COVID-19 symptoms, he or she must immediately inform the manager for immediate withdrawal from the team. The person’s return shall only be allowed after being cleared by medical authorization.

• The WHO recommendation is that all teams members that have had direct contact with the infected employee must be isolated for 14 days.

ABEST (Brazilian Fashion Designers Association) announces the guild’s new president: businessman Alberto Hiar, from Cavalera (a Brazilian garment and accessories brand founded in 1995). Hiar replaces Paulo Lourenço Bartholomei, from Cecilia Prado brand, which now holds the position of vice president. 

“Taking over ABEST presidency is one of the biggest challenges in my career. I want to continue the excellent work done by the previous management, where we won new partnerships, associated brands and visibility in the foreign market”, says Alberto Hiar. 

The result of the election was announced on April 27th, and the new board will remain in office for the next three years. “During this term of office the new board and I will work on ABEST’s great potential to be a spokesperson for Brazilian fashion for the benefit of our members,” adds Hiar. 

Created in 2003, the Brazilian Fashion Designers Association aims to strengthen and promote Brazilian design and fashion. Currently, the non-profit association has more than 120 brands across Brazil and they export goods to 57 countries. For these international actions, ABEST places the image of Brazilian fashion abroad via Fashion Label Brasil, a Brazilian fashion internationalization program in partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments).

“Our main focus is to continue to trade internationally, but the domestic market is still a priority. We want to expand our public and private resources, to show that the fashion industry is one of the strongest sectors of the economy and generates jobs ”, emphasizes the new president.

ABEST Board 

President: Alberto Hiar (Cavalera)

Vice President: Paulo Lourenço Bartholomei (Cecília Prado)

Executive Vice President: Gustavo de Almeida Assis (Lapima)

Treasurer: Renata Jorge Tinelli (Fernando Jorge)

Thinking about the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic, designer Ana Khouri created a one-of-a-kind special edition of her Mirian ring made with blue sapphires and reverted 100% of the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders, a non-governmental organization known for putting volunteers on the front lines of the world’s most dangerous wars, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters.

"I am deeply concerned about the lack of vital equipment and supplies in the medical community during this period. I felt the urge and duty to help, even if in a humble way, by supporting the brave men and women on the front lines who were fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m so in awe of the fashion community stepping in to help produce masks, hand sanitizer and gowns (among many other initiatives) to help healthcare workers all over the world. The best way to help is through my jewelry, ”explained the designer on her Instagram account.

“I chose blue sapphires for this piece as blue in many cultures is associated with hope, peace and protection. I hope my donation will help Doctors Without Borders to ensure that healthcare workers have the critical supplies they need “concludes Khouri.

American actress Emma Roberts, Eric Roberts daughter and actress Julia Roberts niece, chose a Brazilian brand to use while shopping at a local Hollywood market.

The Scream Queens star opted for Lapima sunglasses, a brand very desired - and used - among Hollywood celebrities.

Designer Flavia Amadeu, a specialist in fashion accessories made with wild rubber from the Amazon rainforest, was chosen as a nominee for the Green Product Award, an award that aims to promote sustainable design products and concepts in Germany.

An international jury panel specializing in sustainability will announce the winner of the Green Product Award on April 30th. To vote for the Brazilian designer, visit: https://www.gp-award.com/en/produkte/Organic- Jewelery.

Flavia Amadeu's work has the mission of promoting social impact and environmental preservation through the development of design projects and products. The projects support local producers and artisans whose economic activities are integrated with the sustainable use of natural resources. 

From February 28th to March 2nd, three Brazilian brands attended Premiere Classe Tuileries, a trade show specialized in high jewelry and accessories segment that took place alongside to Paris fashion week. 

SERPUI and DOTZ brands had the support of Fashion Label Brasil- Program of Internationalization of Value-Added Brazilian Fashion, created by ABEST (Brazilian Fashion Designers Association), and ROOM had the support of Texbrasil (Brazilian Fashion Textile Industry Internationalization Program), from Abit (Brazilian Association of Textiles and Apparel), both as a result of an action in partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments).

In this edition, the trade show generated USD$ 48K in immediate business, with an expectation of USD$ 80K for the next 12 months. 

Alongside 40 jewelry designers, Brazilian Ana Khouri joined in an online campaign, #Linked, created by Share Our Strength, to help feed young people in the US who are vulnerable after schools closed across the country due to concerns about the coronavirus. 

According to the non-profit organization, almost 22 million low-income children from communities across the country have free and reduced-price meals at the cafeteria during school period.

The fine jewelry community from New York to Los Angeles will help fund the initiative by donating a portion of its sales to the cause.

In celebration of International Women's Day, Marcia Kemp's NANNACAY sealed a partnership with Beulah London, one of the first social impact fashion brands debuted in the UK.

Together they created a limited edition handbag, entitled Flora, which is part of the summer 2020 collection: a wicker handbag with a braided handle in natural silk, woven by hand by a single Brazilian artisan, making it unique, as one piece is never the same as the other.

Through the synergy of related values, the BEULAH X NANNACAY handbag supports the preservation of traditional Brazilian handicrafts made in several communities. For every bag sold, 10% of all profits will be donated to Beulah's Impact Partners, which support vulnerable and trafficked women in Bangladesh, Nepal and India, through the Beulah Trust.

These funds are invested in additional training and development for these women, allowing the brand to sustain and increase employment opportunities for more women. Creating a sustainable, commercial and creative vehicle that proves luxury fashion can be used as a force for the good of all.

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