Fraser Beath McEwing was born into a Melbourne textile family, and after unsatisfactorily trying to serve journalism and textile marketing at the same time, arrived at a compromise: the fashion industry trade press. He edited Australian Fashion News from 1968 until 1972, and then founded his own fortnightly industry newspaper, Ragtrader. In 1988 he received the Australian Fashion Group's 'Award of Excellence' for services to the Australian Fashion Industry. In 1990 he sold his interest in Ragtrader to devote himself to full-time writing. (Source: Fraser Beath McEwing, Feel the Width. 1994)
