From fashion to energy - the rind and seeds of Sicily's most famous citrus fruit, the humble orange, are being used in a range of greener, healthier business initiatives.

General George Brandis and a senior DFAT official have defended Julie Bishop’s #fashiondiplomacy as a “huge asset” to Australia. [...] Senator Brandis told the hearing it was “integral” to the Foreign Minister’s role to promote Australian interests and businesses in response to questions from Labor senator Kimberley Kitching. “The fashion industry in Australia, I’m told, contributes $12 billion to the economy every year and employs 220,000 people,” Senator Brandis said.

This February, the Crocker Art Museum will present JapanAmerica: Points of Contact, a beautiful and diverse display of nearly 200 works of art and design that have played a role in artistic exchange between the two cultures. Following the “opening” of Japan by the United States Navy in 1853, traveling expositions introduced communities around the world to the exquisite craftsmanship of Japanese objects.

For fashion entrepreneur Monica Phromsavanh, the pathway to success started in the camp for Laotian refugees in Argentina where she was born and spent her first years. She was a hard charger even as a child, never letting poverty or family difficulties discourage her. She came to the United States at 17, worked for upscale clothing retailers and rose rapidly up the management ladder, helped by mentors impressed by her keen sense of style and business acumen.