VMAFF REPORT

Runway 4 presented by ELLE

Runway 5 by Cosmopolitan 

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE FASHION FESTIVAL 

Fashion Journalist Claudia Sorace 

It’s a balmy Thursday night in Melbourne and I find myself, again rushing down the red carpet for the Premium Runway Presented by ELLE magazine at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. I meet quickly with one of Braudia’s photographer’s Andre Elhay, he’s still got another night at the Fashion Festival before he hands over to our other photographer Jassie. Personally, I think these guys are amazing, that is photographers; they fight for a place in the media pit and they carry the heaviest gear – lenses, flashes etc. all the while with a smile on their faces, baited by the envision of the perfect shot.

I am sent to the VIP room, the event is not letting journalists in yet, and in any which case, I feel somewhat alone and intimidated by not having my business partner by my side. Braudia of course is a duo and its not that I can’t function at ‘functions’ on my own, however the laughter and security in a partner in a sea of tight knit fashionistas, is always comforting. I’m sitting on a chair that is high and a room of predominantly gay men and fashion forward women swarm around me. I’m sipping slowly on my drink, because tonight is a school night. Suddenly I hear a glass smash and a silent ripple moment of “omg! Hashtag #embarrassing #taxi”, a young man stands behind the broken glass looking mortified, like he wants the floor under him to open up and swallow him along with the broken glass so the onlookers would cease starring. So I feel the need, almost instantaneously to walk over to this mystery man, who is dressed sharp and is flushed with red cheeks over the incident. I do, I introduce myself and luckily for me I automatically connect with this stranger and I am granted a fun loving, good-humored gay appendage for the evening. 

A gay man is really a Fashion woman’s best friend. My random date for this evening, for the sake of privacy, we will call him ‘Mr. Rainbow Dream’. Suddenly, and later than the actual intended start time of the show’s scheduled commencement (at 7pm) we are given a calling from the event organisers and summoned to the Runway supported by ELLE.

As ‘Mr. Rainbow Dream’ and I take our seats together, front row and annoyingly we wait another 20 minutes. The event is embarrassingly empty. My attendee and I watch the ‘goings on’ and as we do we see the seating coordinators moving people from the back rows forward, to assume a ‘fuller’ venue for the video recording of the event. It’s a wonderful PR trick, but bystanders can see what’s going on, that is in which case; that they aren’t all too consumed in powdering their noses and taking ‘BFF selflies’.

Finally at 8:20 the Runway starts and the audience are introduced to singer Shaun J Wright as he performs his single ‘sweat’. I thoroughly enjoy this song, with cool beats and a smooth voice to match Shaun J Wright appears the epitome of cool. As a woman who enjoys a dance, I boogie in my seat with ‘Mr. Rainbow Dream’ to the tune. However, I am saddened that the audience doesn’t share my groove train enthusiasm.

The designers then proceed, which are as follows BIANCA SPENDER, CAMILLA AND MARC, GINGER & SMART, KAHLO, LIFEWITHBIRD, MICHAEL LO SORDO & YB J'AIME. As a slight sufferer of obsessive-compulsive disorder I am somewhat infuriated that the labels are not listed in order of Runway appearance; which alludes to a mismatched program. The clear winner of this runway was ‘MICHAEL LO SORDO’ which pieced European glamour along with a touch of simple, yet detailed decadence. ‘YB J’AIME’ was also a stand out of the show. This label was faultless, graceful and carried a somewhat classy and minimal retro feel. As a creative thought goes, I see a young Sophia Lauren in one of the models, as she gracefully struts in YB J'AIME; clearly impressed by what she is wearing. YB J'AIME carried weaker labels such as KAHLO; that infused cheap boyfriend looks gone wrong, along with looks that could be purchased at your local Opportunity shop.

‘Disgraceful’ was the only word in which I could use to describe some of the fashion’s that proceeded ‘FINDERS KEEPERS’ entailed in their runway collection. Shorts so short that showed the models buttocks cheeks and cheap looks that would have done better at an under ground dominatrix club. Personally, I find even the showing of this collection a let down, turning a high fashion event into a cheap display of ‘sneaky model arse’.

After the event, I am asked to stay for the second event as an ‘honorary guest’. I don’t flatter myself as I feel the second event has had dwindling ticket sales, which shouldn’t be the case for a major fashion event. However, I am surprised as the second event is almost sold out ‘Runway Four – Presented by Cosmopolitan’. Again, I was accompanied by‘Mr. Rainbow Dream’ and this show unlike the previous prevented by ELLE, was even more dull show casing CAMEO, FINDERS KEEPERS, KEEPSAKE, JAGGAR, RODEO SHOW, TALULAH &WILD.HORSES. My new found friend and I were flattered again with frot row seats. The rare exception for this show was the Western Australian collection ‘WILD HORSES’. With its metallic madness and Gaga-esque feel. But of course, you can see the beauty of this collection below.

As the evening came to a end, I was again left with the impression that the models were moving too fast down the catwalk, however for labels like ‘FINDERS KEEPERS’ and ‘KEEPSAKE’, I couldn’t have wished them off the runway quicker. The cheapening of ‘too-short cuts was a bargain basement look and seemly desperate homage to the fashion we see 14 year old girls exercise in malls and alike (although heaven forbid they shouldn’t be allowed).

The event organisation seemed to decline with a shambolic schedule and lack of zest that previous years seemed to attract and for the first time in many years of attendance, I saw the event deterioration rather than an improvement with new sponsors Virgin Australia. Alas, the week was not over so I am waiting to see it through and then give my final opinion. The bar however, closed after the final event  (at around 10pm, OK Virgin Australia, some of us do like a bit of night life, it being a thursday and all) and such all guests were stumped with the notion they were being told almost bluntly, to ‘go home now’ from the event coordinators; which cuts short the opportunity of further business mingling, client enjoyment, post runway buzz and more. So, as my taxi carrys me home,  I look in my goody bag and I see that Tuppaware have issued me with a hot drink flaggon. I see the blue flask and think "clutching for sponsors Virgin?". I did however, the next morning, use my tuppawear thermos to take tea into the office. 

Maybe, just maybe..? The event sponsors were trying to appeal to a wider demographic (by using tuppawear as a sponsor... who knows maybe a large group of 20' somethings will start hosting Tuppaware parties, it might take over cocaine or alcohol as trends go), rather than just the young scene of stylists and fashionistas that all emcompass these kind of events. A mixed bag of Runway success and pitfalls,  I still had an enjoyable evening, critically ensuring that I deliver such honesty to my audience.  But do hold on to your tophats hipsters, I'm not done with Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Week, just yet!

Please see below my account of the fashion collections that impressed and unimpressed. Shot by the ever-talented Andre Elhay, you can shop the runway also through the links below: 

http://www.elhay.com/

http://www.vamff.com.au/shoptherunway/opening-event/

'SWEAT' performed by Shaun J Wright

'SWEAT' performed by Shaun J Wright

YB J'AIME

YB J'AIME

The stunning YB J'AIME

Leopard Print high fashion YB J'AIME

Ginger and Smart

Ginger and Smart 

Modern European Michael Lo Sardo 

Michael Lo Sardo

Michael Lo Sardo

Bianca Spender simple elegance 

Bianca Spender

Mermaid inspired - Cameo 

Cameo sparkles in sea inspired shimmer 

Talulah 

Talulah  

Talulah 

The majestic 'Wild Horses'

Wild Horses

Mod Rock Wild Horses

Wild Horses 

The dull and lacking 'Jaggar'

Can see what you had for breakfast? Finders Keepers 

Lacking modesty and charm 'Finders Keepers'

Keepsake keeps nothing to the imagination with its barely there 

cheap but not so cheerful 'Jaggar'

VAMFF READY, SET, CATWALK!

David Jones Opening Event 

Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival 

Monday March 17th 2014 

Claudia Sorace Fashion Journalist 

The red carpet is alive. Why? It’s the first event of the Virgin Australian Melbourne Fashion Festival. Just in! Megan Gale is heavily pregnant and the celebrities’ roll down the red in mandatory formation. That’s their job you see, not my job. My job is to tell you about it. I’m dressed in something that is more ‘Claude’ appropriate; I can digress from straight clean lines that show off long pins and accentuate appropriate curves. I can list the celebrities and will some, but that would be futile, as my photographer Andre Ehlay has delivered us a visual depiction below.

This year, things are a little different. This is due to the changing of the major sponsor from previous years; the event was majorly sponsored by L’Oreal, however this year Virgin Australia have decided to dabble out of flying and into fashion. I arrived not wanting to be too critical; for I have an aviation background and tend to have a lot pilot and hostess friends. My belief was that they would genuinely do a stupendous job. Naturally, when the red carpet settles down, I saunter into the VIP lounge, wet my whistle with whatever booze is available to me, but then I receive a text message and it’s my photographer and consequently, now my time to walk the red carpet. I don’t mind this bit you see, it makes you feel somewhat important and I’m quite ok with that.

Everyone starts yelling my name, but it’s genuinely half of my friends from the fashion industry and so then proceeds the social photos. I’m not booked in for the first show however; I’ve opted to eat dinner (something that is genuinely not done at fashion week) at the Woolshed establishment next door. It’s boring; my Caesar salad is bland and blatantly crap, but my cheap moscato keeps me eating until I cannot digest anymore of this wishy-washy excuse for ‘edible’ food. Keep the cheap sweet wine rolling I say… and then its time. The call for the second show is booming and consequently, I leave my dinner to watch the David Jones sponsored Event. Shockingly as a journalist, I don’t ever look at programs, I tend to let the night guide me instead of guiding myself, because lets face it, wine can do that too. Thy trust in the liquor is strong.

Suddenly, someone is putting cheap champagne in my hand (I’m fairly sure that it is not champagne, but rather some cheap sparkling. Don’t try to fool me and make me feel important, I’m a Veuve Clicquot girl, I know a good bubbles between Diamond Nights) and I’m being ushered to my seat, front row (sometimes I really do love my job). Tonight, I’m sitting next to Lara Bingle, she seems pleasant and somewhat doughy, but admittedly she looks great. We engaged in small talk about our days and experiences with reality television (hers a little more prolific than mine). Then as I’m trying to get comfortable, some Italian lad pops out of nowhere and offers me some San Pelligrino and I’m set.

The Vogue and David Jones promotions start on the four massive screens and Victoria Beckham gets a fair amount of face time through the Vogue advertisement. It’s directed well and I sit excited for the show. It begins and unlike previous years I see diversity; it is not a predominantly female catwalk this year, which I am pleasantly surprised by. Lara Bingle seems to be enjoying it too, good for her. The procession of the designers is lengthy, its definitely one of the longest Australian Runway shows I’ve seen. The clothes? Well, of course they are beautiful, detailed, slightly avant-garde and as a sucker for male fashion Jack London stood out as a personal favorite. The trend of leather was back, popping up in almost every collection. Faux fur and floral prints also grazed the catwalk.

Nevertheless though, something was not quite right. The clothing was stunning; the models were figureheads to their garments just as they should have been. The thing is, I’m a critical writer and I like it that way, so as I am watching the show, at one point I almost felt transported to a race track (I had attended the Grand Prix only a day before this event). The models were literally, cantering down the runway. The designer list I understand was all encompassing and lengthy, but the sequence was that of something I have not yet seen on a runway. The models surely worked of their carrot sticks and celery. In all honesty it was too fast. The audience, this industry, we come to fawn over the garments, the artistry that envelopes the catwalk. It was a blur however, too quick and I feel that the audience and myself were slightly cheated.

Luckily, I can recap to you, my dear readers with stills from every collection. Which is exceptional because really, some of the garments were outstandingly beautiful. To me, however, it seemed over before it began.

Next thing I know I’m having a drink with the Real Housewives of Melbourne; my personal favorite (am I allowed to have favorites?) is Janet Roach and we talk about the industry and she’s quite sure we have met before, she’s right, we did – a few years back. See Janet, is my kind of girl, she’s got sass, she’s blonde, she looks damn good for her age and I like her attitude towards things. Janet is straightforward, so we engage in conversation for a while as I text my sister (who is a huge fan of the show) who is proceeding to loose her marbles at the mere thought that I’m in their company.

My night ends the way it should, I’m sitting at a table with my adorable photographer Andre Elhay, dear friend and fashion writer Reuben Cheok and my other half. We are zooming in on awkward red carpet boob mishaps and laughing about years before. We are deconstructing our gift bags, which, are far below par in my opinion to previous years. It is to be noted however, that I have never in my life, ever, been given a can of hair spray  so big from my ‘goodie bag’.

Overall, I had fun. If you come to fashion week with sky-high expectations then you have already set yourself up for failure. It’s a big clique, we are a family and you’re either in it or you’re not (that doesn’t mean you can’t get in, it’s not really a solid circle of trust). As this is only my first review for the week, I feel it unfair to comment on how I believe Virgin Australia have handled their merge into the fashion big leagues. Stay tuned for that review later in the week. A nice bonus? The Lavazza coffee stand makes you free lattes and again, the Italian waiters add to a sense of European culture that Melbourne is so well known for.

Please review the enticing ‘Opening Event, Presented by David Jones and Supported by Vogue’ designer’s succession below. All clothing is accessible via the Virgin Australia website or please visit the link below to shop through the runway. 

http://www.elhay.com/

http://www.vamff.com.au/shoptherunway/opening-event/