Hotel Bondi Swimwear collection launched at Australia Fashion Week

The Hotel Bondi Swimwear collection has launched at Australia Fashion Week, cementing the importance of beachside attire in a multi-billion dollar industry.

More than two dozen half naked Bondi babes strutted down the catwalk today during one of the week's most-hyped events.

But for the designers and buyers in attendance, it wasn’t just about the beautiful bikinis and the women wearing them — it was also about the dollars.

Australia Fashion Week founder Simon Lock said the event was more than an opportunity to see beautiful clothes and sip champagne.

"At the core of this event this is basically a trade event, the most glamorous, sophisticated and sexy trade event you'll ever come across," Mr Lock said.

"We're hoping that this year our export sales will be in the order of $250 million. It's quite a significant contribution."

More than 150 designers have flown in from overseas for the week to see more than 100 designers showcase their collections on the catwalk.

Some notable international buyers include teams from Barney’s New York, Harrods and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong.

The Hotel Bondi collection is the work of designer Damion Fuller, who says the brand has come to represent everything there is about the famous beach.

"We have a very simple message, we love bikinis and we love Bondi. All of our prints you saw today, every print has a different Bondi story," Mr Fuller said.

Fuller shrugged off the stereotypical image of a Bondi babe with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"A typical Bondi girl, she's Japanese, she's Brazilian, English, she's everything. Thanks to the eclectic nature of Bondi she's both completely international and totally unique," he said.

Source: ninemsn.com.au