Opal Fashion Bash E-News: November 2008

2009 Miss Universe Australian Townsville Preliminary Final 

We are pleased to advise you all that Townsville City has again been chosen to host a Miss Universe Australian Preliminary Final on Saturday 28 February 2009.  Our association worked very hard this year to successfully stage this inaugural event as part of the Opal Fashion Bash & hopefully our selected national finalists will continue on the success of our 2007 MUA winner Kimberley Busteed & 2008 4th runner up Jessica Passmore. Entry is free so if you know of any single young adult females aged 18 – 27 yrs please encourage them to give it a go. No firm venue or type of show to present has yet been decided & we are presently looking for as much in kind & financial support as possible to ensure we can also combine this with the official program launch of 2009 Opal Fashion Bash.

2008 Opal Fashion Bash TV Doco - 6000 Views

The biggest budget expense towards promoting next year’s Opal Fashion Bash, a $20,000 TV Doco, is currently receiving lots of views on our web site & You Tube. We now have 5 video preview segments of this 49 min TV Doco now showing from 2 – 7 mins duration.  They feature - Journey to the Opal Fashion Bash, Catwalk Training Classes, World Models Day, Miss Universe Australia Preliminary Final to a Preview of 2008 Opal Fashion Bash. This is the first time we have ever promoted & marketed the Opal Fashion Bash in this manner so we are naturally buoyed by these positive viewing results plus the fact that over 70 DVD copies of this 49 min TV doco have now also been distributed around this country.    To view these video previews click here

2008 Tamblyn Young Model Discovery Final

Congratulations to all our 2008  Tamblyn Young Model Discovery Finalists

While our team of 8 teenage models contenders did not take home any of the top 5 titles or 3 year model contracts on offer they did however gain a lot of personal experience from competing against some of the best student models in this state. Congratulations must go to Hanna Bolton, Tully High & Nikeisha Richardson, All Saints Anglican School, Gold Coast for making the top 10 finalists in their age divisions. Our biggest improver since the Opal Fashion Bash was Karin Campbell, Richmond High. Look out for her next April. All was not lost as 2 student models whom I scouted last year on the Gold Coast Jesinta Campbell – Hogg & Maddison Gabriel,  both won Best Runway Model titles + 3 year Tamblyn Model Contracts. It was unfortunate both did not make it up to Townsville this year but I am sure they will keep up the tradition & go on to also become international models in 2009. To Jesinta, Maddi & all our 8 model finalists please take a bow.

Let the Countdown Begin –  Only 5 months to Showtime

Well we have finally passed the halfway mark towards staging 2009 Opal Fashion Bash. It’s hard to believe time has passed by so fast. We can report the National Opal Miners Association is back on board as a major sponsor which should be a delight to all our model entrants whom love jewellery. In October I visited the opal town of Coober Pedy in South Australia. I was simply amazed on what they have built underground in the way of tourism attractions & how 70% of their community live underground without the need for air – conditioners or fans. It’s the only place in the world where home renovations can earn you a fortune if you happen to dig out that new pantry or extra bedroom in a lucky spot full of opals! Talking about Opals the jewellery designs I saw in all the shops were a blaze of colours so watch out for some stunning opal pendant prizes from this region at next Aprils Opal Fashion Bash!                             

Kendal & Rachael take on the World

She may only be just 16 yrs but showcase model Kendal Schuler is certainly creating a storm every where she goes. Her October appearance at the inaugural 2008 Dubai International Colour Gem Show had them all talking. She even made it onto Good Morning Dubai TV Show. It seemed everyone she met up with at this billion dollar coloured gem show invited her to come to their country to promote just about everything. She was certainly given the star treatment at the Hyatt Regency by the organisers. There has been a host of recent magazine shoots of likes of USA Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Shop till you Drop, Cosmopolitan & cover shoots for City Beach. There seems to be no stopping her rapid rise to the top of the modelling world for this Cairns born stunner.

Townsville born Rachael Finch is another of our successful showcase models currently making her mark in Sydney town. In October she has starred in many fashion promotions & national advertising campaigns for the likes of Coca Cola, Deep Spring Water, Target, Star City Casino, Cleo & Marie Claire. So watch out for this home grown showcase model over the summer months as some of these big campaigns get into full swing. Rach could pop up on a TV commercial, a billboard, in newspaper or fashion magazines like Marie Claire (January issue). Congratulations to both Kendal & Rachael for keeping our Opal Fashion Bash Flag flying high! 

Webbing our way to future Success

Our youth fashion web site continues its successful growth rate. A quick look at our 2008 visitor stats up until 30 October shows that 17,000 visits have been recorded - 350,000 pages viewed - 900,000 Hits. It’s certainly growing in popularity in only its 3rd year of being on line. Some of our most popular links besides our Home Page well worth a look are Hall of Fame, Prize Categories, Prize Winners, Competitions, History & of course if you are in love with our national gemstone Opal Prizes & Opal Regions. For potential sponsors whom wish to align their business branding with a very successful & growing national youth event there are many opportunities now available that can offer continual all year round sponsorship branding.        * Sponsorship Info Hotline: 042 888 7114 

International Face of Opal Fashion Bash

Now is the time for all 2009 Opal Fashion Bash registered entrants to launch their $20,000 Voters Choice Awards public voting campaigns if they have the desire to become the International Face of the Opal Fashion Bash. The stakes are high but the reward will be there for those entrants who organise the most successful public voting campaigns over the next 5 months. There is lots of informative material posted on our web site “Competitions” link page on how to get started & most importantly “How to Network more public voting support”. We can also assist entrants to prepare a colour voting flyer or poster. Entrants secured 12,500 X $2 public sponsored votes in our 2008 Awards & we have challenged them to a combined target of 25,000 votes come 16 April 2009.  All monies raised goes directly back into the Opal Fashion Bash $100,000 prize pool so the more effort entrants put in the more cash & retail prizes they will all have a chance to WIN! 

Wanted – 2009 Opal Fashion Bash Talent Scouts

If you fancy your chances of becoming a successful Talent Scout or just want to help our talented youth follow their future career dreams we have put together some special award prizes to honour our best 2009 Opal Fashion Bash Talent Scouts. You do not need any special qualifications just a good eye to spot raw young talent. The enjoyments a talent scout gets in seeing some students they scout go on to national or international success is well worth the effort. To date we have been very successful in discovering 15 international models & dancers, 7 Aust fashion design award winners as well 2005 Miss Indy & 2007 Miss Universe Australia.  However, to continue on this amazing successful path we urgently need to develop more talent scouts all over this nation. We have some great prizes in place so now is the time to join up & become an official 2009 Opal Fashion Bash Talent Scout & assist us to “Build more future careers for the youth of this nation”    
More info on Competitions page