Strutting up to one of Melbourne Museum’s many entrances to attend Premium Runway 7, the closing show of Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, the place looks suspiciously quiet. An elderly security guard pops his head round a fenced-off area and says: ‘You are three days early for the show! Come back on Wednesday.’
In a mild state of panic, I catch sight of a sign ahead and realise there’s a big gardening show starting this week. While I’m all for green-fingered activities, this is not the look I was going for tonight. So thank goodness for Priceline‘s make-over booth at VAMFF, which turned out to be just around the corner. I follow the pulsing beats from the bar and quickly bump into lots of beautiful and even more beautifully dressed people going to the right place.
I have a few minutes to gather my composure, nab a free sample at the Vodka Cruiser stand and have a good dose of sexy people/outfit watching before we are ushered downstairs into an underground car park befitted with two long runways and lots of flashing lights as photographers pap people on the way in.
Just as I get comfortable and start sipping my complimentary bottle of fancy water, myself and the girl next to me are asked to move to ‘better seats’, which requires us to walk down the runway to the other side. The strip lights are unbearably hot and glarey, we’re being eyeballed by everyone, and I’m desperately trying not to trip over… New respect for the job of a model found in those longest-30-seconds-of-my-life right there.
The Australian/NZ designer-based show kicks off with some smiley Virgin flight attendants walking down the runway, before Kingkang Chen showcases oversized coats and shirts, and plenty of sparkle. Pageant, whose style is self-described as feminine, fresh and fierce, includes two stunning outfits complete with hijabs. P.A.M. ends the night with what I, as a Scot, would call ‘NED-wear’ –caps, hoodies, trackies, and serious swaggers – as the gorgeous bunch, including Astrid Hollar, take the runway in gang form to finish the show.
With just six collections, it’s all over in a flash and I walk away happily with my Priceline bag of goodies, optimistically hoping that something in there will make me look less Costa Georgiadis and more Miranda Kerr in future!
-Claire
Claire Henderson is a passionate lover of food, fashion, and all things fun and fabulous.
Check out VAMFF’s full program from 7-13 March 2016, and read The Plus Ones’ VAMFF guide.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were invited guests of AMPR.
Photo credit: Lucas Dawson.
