The Australian fashion industry has come to expect a huge splash from Sportsgirl at the Melbourne L’Oreal Fashion Festival, and 2005 set a new benchmark. Sportsgirl took over the heart of Melbourne with the sumptuous Sportsgirl Fashion Oasis at Federation Square – a glam Moroccan tent erected in Fed Square over four nights of the Festival to celebrate fashion and all things Marrakesh. Needless to say, it became the after party of the festival.

Rosewater and lychee cocktails flowed each night for fashionistas, celebs, models, designers and VIP guests courtesy of SKYY. Then there was the tattooist, camels(!) and live grooves from Dirty Laundry.

Sportsgirl’s Fashion Oasis at Federation Square also gave birth to the Melbourne Sportsgirl Glamarazzis – a talented team of Sportsgirl employees handpicked from the shop floor to take the fun and fashion of the brand to the street.

The buzz continued into April and May as the Sportsgirl Roadshow team took the much-anticipated, fabulous autumn/winter collection around the country to wide acclaim.

In keeping with Sportsgirl’s commitment to innovation and young designers, the Sabi for Sportsgirl lingerie range was released in May – a treasure chest full of the cutest, sexiest lacy things going round.

May also saw Sportsgirl scoop Marie Claire’s Best Australian Fashion Brand Award at a glittering event in Sydney, beating other nominees Marcs, Zimmerman, Morrissey, Sass & Bide, Mambo and Witchery, among others. The award was presented by Antonia Kidman. ‘Our awards have serious international authority and precedent ‘, said Jackie Frank, Marie Claire’s Editor. Naomi Milgrom, Chairman & Group CEO, Sportsgirl, Sussan and Suzanne Grae, congratulated the Sportsgirl team: ‘The whole Sportsgirl team have been working extremely hard to ensure Sportsgirl offers an exciting and different collection season on season as well as a great shopping environment customers really want to spend time in and love.’

In September the Sportsgirl Glamarazzis were born in Sydney to launch the Cleo Bachelor of the Year. Ryan Phelan, spunky presenter of ‘Sports Tonight’, was crowned the lad most eligible. In Pitt St, Glamarazzis handed out the Sportsgirl magazine, and posed for shots with all the lucky selected Bachelors.

At the Cleo Bachelor of the Year event in Melbourne, Bachelors and ladies on the hunt for them (or happy just to look) had reason to party at Crown Promenade, with special guests including Peter Alexander, Lee Furlong, Corrine Grant and Editor of Cleo, Nedahl Stelio. Sportsgirl added sparkle with a special ‘styling platform’, handing out free accessories to guests, and Glamarazzis styled girls upon arrival with gorgeous Sportsgirl jewels.

September also saw the return of Sportsgirl to one of Melbourne’s fave shopping strips, Bridge Road, Richmond, after an absence of many years, opening the doors to yet another fab new store.

Sportsgirl had hearts a flutter for the Spring Racing Carnival, with the launch of the Belinda Fairbanks for Sportsgirl range of sheer, pretty frocks, and the release of Sportsgirl’s limited edition dresses, each style limited to just a hundred pieces Australia-wide.

And for Oaks Day, Sportsgirl provided the perfect party to complement the perfect frock, with the Esportiva Menina, a Rio Carnivale boat that took passengers from South Wharf to Flemington. Brazilian dancers and a Brazilian DJ on board set the mood to party. And that didn’t stop till well into the night, as Sportsgirl hosted the hottest after party in town, at Alumbra. Guests including Rob Mills, Bree Amer, Wayne Richardson, Wayne Campbell and the Flamingo Sands girls were treated to foot massages, cigar boys, make-up retouches by Gorgeous Cosmetics, and Samba lessons to the live grooves of Brazilian Beats.

The Sportsgirl Glamarazzis spread their good work to Queensland in November, handing out mags to sunworshippers on Queensland beaches during Schoolies’ Week.

The Carnivale theme danced into December with the launch of Sportsgirl’s Girl from Ipanema mag, which showcased 32 pages of Sportsgirl summer fashion. Stores were transformed into a Rio Carnivale market, and Sportsgirl gave two lucky members of sportsgirl.com.au the chance to leave on a jet plane and experience the real Rio with a freebie trip.

The Flamingo Sands for Sportsgirl bikini range and Marajoara bathers were launched in December in time for Summer. Stocking beachwear was another first for Sportsgirl, and the product walked out of the store.