Daily Front Row

2010 March 18

Costa Down Under

Comments | | Print

Francisco Costa
View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Francisco Costa has had quite the breakneck schedule in Australia this week. A guest speaker at this Friday’s L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival Business Seminar, Costa started the week as a VIP guest at the festival’s official launch at Melbourne’s Government House on a balmy Sunday afternoon. Afterwards, he hosted an intimate dinner at the stylish new restaurant, Cutler & Co. The guest list consisted of expat Aussies in town for the festival, including Tony Glenville, Gabriele Hackworthy, Grant Pearce, Michael Angel and Calvin Klein, Inc.'s Malcolm Carfrae. Most of Australia's front row editors were present, along with the much-photographed Kate Waterhouse and Laura Dundovic, as well as model Louise van de Vorst, the latter two dressed in Calvin Klein Collection.

Costa and his colleague Amy Mellen, creative director of Calvin Klein Home, co-hosted the Australian launch of Calvin Klein Home furniture on Tuesday night at Coco Republic in Sydney. One long candlelit table adorned with Calvin Klein Home tableware and food by hot Aussie eatery Jonah's ensured a glamorous evening, attended by the editors of Australia's key interior titles, ex model and designer Gail Elliott, her husband Joe Coffey, cooking icon Donna Hay and stylist Claudia Navone. Costa reminisced about seeing Elliott in her early runway shows for Calvin Klein, admiring her dress from his spring collection.

On Wednesday, Costa was guest of honor at a seated lunch for Myer's top 50 customers and VIPs to celebrate the women's Calvin Klein Collection launching at the Australian department store. "Australia is so civilized," said Costa. "The cities are sophisticated but so physically gorgeous and natural. The food is superb. The people have such a great attitude to life; they are so vital, healthy, friendly and incredibly sexy. I'm looking forward to presenting at the LMFF seminar on Friday with Kirstie Clements from Australian Vogue. What a great way to end the week. I hope the audience has lots of questions for us. I'm ready for them!"