MaraJoara Celebrates making a splash at Australian Fashion Week with their "everyday" models.

The team from MaraJoara have now returned to their home town of Manly Beach in Sydney to celebrate their Australian Fashion Week success.

Two days before Madrid placed a ban on underweight models, MaraJoara put
the future of their label at risk after pushing ahead with plans to use
"everyday Australians" in their show against the advice of Australian
Fashion Week organisers.

A major Australian high Fashion magazine responded by deleting coverage of their size 8-12 models showcasing their new range online.

MaraJoara had advertised at nightclubs and universities for models and held
an open casting call in Melbourne. "We wanted to cast "everyday Australian
men and women" because they are the ones that are going to buy our swimwear. With Fashion as such a huge subculture in our youth we have an ethical responsibility to demnstrate good role models." Designer Leesa Fogarty said. They closed Australian Fashion Week using their "everyday
Australians" in a carefully choreographed Las Vegas Show production.

The popular label was stocked in Sportsgirl last summer season and was the retail giant's first step back into selling swimming for about eight years. Now with the competitive advantage of being able to deliver to retailers from order to instore delivery in only 45 days MaraJoara are gearing up for a huge summer both internationally and locally.

With the launch of their online store and wholesale store in Ipanema and
overwhelming support internationally it appears that MaraJoara are destined
for green pastures.

After deferring their invitation from the worlds biggest swimwear Show in
Lyon Mode City France to show at Australian Fashion Week, MaraJoara arrived home to overwhelming fan mail from the Australian public, buyers demanding their range and an invitation from the Fashion Week organisers in Miami and to the first Fashion Week in Mallorca, Spain to be held in September 2007.

"MaraJoara were celebrating our swimwear launch with everyday Australians on our catwalk! When we asked ourselves what depicted Australian - we were simply celebrating the fact that no matter what cultural background, if you
were skinny, short, tall or curvaceous that MaraJoara had swimwear for men
and women that looks and feels fantastic!" Leesa said.

Despite the Fashion Magazine and Fashion Week organisers response to their latest Collection launch it looks like MaraJoara will "viva a vida".